--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The case of Iran, a nuclear program that…" description: "\"The case of Iran, a nuclear program that the Iranians admit was 18 years on, that we underestimated. And, in fact, we didn't discover it. It was discov..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe7/david-kay-20711_admit_the-case-of-iran-a-nuclear-program-that_2807574.png" --- # The case of Iran, a nuclear program that the Iranians… ![“The case of Iran, a nuclear program that the Iranians admit was 18 years on, that we underestimated. And, in fact, we didn't discover it. It was discovered by a group of Iranian dissidents outside the country who pointed the international community at the location.” quote by David Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe7/david-kay-20711_admit_the-case-of-iran-a-nuclear-program-that_2807574.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe7/david-kay-20711_admit_the-case-of-iran-a-nuclear-program-that_2807574.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe7/david-kay-20711_admit_the-case-of-iran-a-nuclear-program-that_2807574.png) > “The case of Iran, a nuclear program that the Iranians admit was 18 years on, that we underestimated. And, in fact, we didn't discover it. It was discovered by a group of Iranian dissidents outside the country who pointed the international community at the location.” [David Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-kay/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He notes that Iran’s nuclear program was longer than expected and discovered by dissidents, highlighting intelligence gaps. **In simple terms:** Iran’s nuclear timeline was underestimated; dissidents revealed it. Key Takeaway Improve intelligence through diverse sources. Themes security nuclear proliferation intelligence failures Mood cautious analytical Type political historical When to use this quote - policy analysis - diplomacy - risk assessment - media scrutiny Key Concepts geopolitics non‑proliferation Questions to Reflect On - How can intelligence agencies better verify hidden programs? - What role should whistle‑blowers play? A Different Perspective Reliance on dissenters may be unreliable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Admit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/admit/) [Case](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/case/) [Case Iran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/case-iran-1333200/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Discover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discover/) [Discovered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discovered/) [Fact](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fact/) [Group](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/group/) [In fact](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/in-fact/) [International](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/international/) [International community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/international-community/) [Iran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iran/) [Iranian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iranian/) [Iranians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iranians/) [Location](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/location/) [Nuclear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nuclear/) [Nuclear Program](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nuclear-program-303129/) [Outside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outside/) [Pointed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pointed/) [Program](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/program/) [Program Iranians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/program-iranians-3496887/) [Programming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/programming/) [Underestimated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/underestimated/) [Who](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/who/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) [Years Underestimated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years-underestimated-690939/) ## Related quotes > [A nuclear program has arguably worked as a deterrent for North Korea and other states - would Moammar Gadhafi have been deposed and summarily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/a-nuclear-program-has-arguably-worked-as-a-deterrent-for-north-korea/) [Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/) > [We support any deal that denies Iran nuclear weapons, that has a continuous and robust inspection mechanism and that has snap-back provisions in case…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adel-al-jubeir/we-support-any-deal-that-denies-iran-nuclear-weapons-that-has-a/) [Adel al-Jubeir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adel-al-jubeir/) > [The North Koreas of the world are trying very hard to acquire the material they need to acquire nuclear weapons, as is the case…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-fadden/the-north-koreas-of-the-world-are-trying-very-hard-to-acquire-the/) [Richard Fadden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-fadden/) > [I have made a very good living, for more than 30 years, by being underestimated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helmut-kohl/i-have-made-a-very-good-living-for-more-than-30-years-by-being/) [Helmut Kohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helmut-kohl/) > [For years, we have underestimated the challenges of mass immigration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mette-frederiksen/for-years-we-have-underestimated-the-challenges-of-mass-immigration/) [Mette Frederiksen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mette-frederiksen/) > [As we speak, Iran has rolled back its nuclear program, shipped out its uranium stockpile, and the world has avoided another war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-we-speak-iran-has-rolled-back-its-nuclear-program-shipped-out-its/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I personally believe that any country that has a nuclear program should conform to international regulations and should have international regulatory bodies that check…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-personally-believe-that-any-country-that-has-a-nuclear-program/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Seen from the United States or Europe, Irans nuclear program often causes most concern, but from the perspective of countries in the Asia-Pacific region,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yukiya-amano/seen-from-the-united-states-or-europe-irans-nuclear-program-often/) [Yukiya Amano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yukiya-amano/) > [I do not believe the efforts of the international community to stop Iran's nuclear program will bear fruit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ehud-barak/i-do-not-believe-the-efforts-of-the-international-community-to-stop/) [Ehud Barak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ehud-barak/) > [By legitimizing Iran's nuclear program, removing the pressure of economic sanctions, and allowing it to obtain conventional weapons and ballistic missiles, this agreement makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-pritzker/by-legitimizing-iran-s-nuclear-program-removing-the-pressure-of/) [J. B. Pritzker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-pritzker/) > [The intelligence services would probably be in a better position to make an assessment of the advancement of the Iranian nuclear program than Podhoretz…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trita-parsi/the-intelligence-services-would-probably-be-in-a-better-position-to/) [Trita Parsi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trita-parsi/) > [If the nuclear program is indeed meant only for civil purposes, then it is wrong to impose sanctions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/recep-tayyip-erdogan/if-the-nuclear-program-is-indeed-meant-only-for-civil-purposes-then/) [Recep Tayyip Erdogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/recep-tayyip-erdogan/) > [As long as Iran believes that its security will be increased by having a nuclear program, it's going to pursue its program.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/as-long-as-iran-believes-that-its-security-will-be-increased-by/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) > [Iran . . . has failed to take the opportunity to demonstrate that its nuclear program is peaceful . . . time is not unlimited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/iran-has-failed-to-take-the-opportunity-to-demonstrate-that-its/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Sanctions alone could not stop Iran's nuclear program. But they did help bring Iran to the negotiating table.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/sanctions-alone-could-not-stop-iran-s-nuclear-program-but-they-did/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## More by David Kay > [The fact that it wasn't tells me that we've got a much more fundamental problem of understanding what went wrong, and we've got to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-kay/the-fact-that-it-wasn-t-tells-me-that-we-ve-got-a-much-more/) [David Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-kay/) > [And like I say, I think we've got other cases other than Iraq. I do not think the problem of global proliferation of weapons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-kay/and-like-i-say-i-think-we-ve-got-other-cases-other-than-iraq-i-do-not/) [David Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-kay/) > [I've seen looting around the world and thought I knew the best looters in the world. The Iraqis excel at that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-kay/i-ve-seen-looting-around-the-world-and-thought-i-knew-the-best/) [David Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-kay/) > [I do believe we have to understand why reality turned out to be different than expectations and estimates. But you have more public service…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-kay/i-do-believe-we-have-to-understand-why-reality-turned-out-to-be/) [David Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-kay/) > [There's a long record here of being wrong. There's a good reason for it. There are probably multiple reasons. Certainly proliferation is a hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-kay/there-s-a-long-record-here-of-being-wrong-there-s-a-good-reason-for/) [David Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-kay/) > [I had innumerable analysts who came to me in apology that the world that we were finding was not the world that they had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-kay/i-had-innumerable-analysts-who-came-to-me-in-apology-that-the-world/) [David Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-kay/) > [I would also point out that many governments that chose not to support this war - certainly, the French president, Jacques Chirac, as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-kay/i-would-also-point-out-that-many-governments-that-chose-not-to/) [David Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-kay/) > [And let me take one of the explanations most commonly given: Analysts were pressured to reach conclusions that would fit the political agenda of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-kay/and-let-me-take-one-of-the-explanations-most-commonly-given-analysts/) [David Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-kay/) > [Both of us are known for probably at times regrettable streak of independence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-kay/both-of-us-are-known-for-probably-at-times-regrettable-streak-of/) [David Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-kay/) > [I think the aim - and certainly the aim of what I've tried to do since leaving - is not political and certainly not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-kay/i-think-the-aim-and-certainly-the-aim-of-what-i-ve-tried-to-do-since/) [David Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-kay/) > [And you know, almost in a perverse way, I wish it had been undue influence because we know how to correct that. We get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-kay/and-you-know-almost-in-a-perverse-way-i-wish-it-had-been-undue/) [David Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-kay/) > [The Libyan program recently discovered was far more extensive than was assessed prior to that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-kay/the-libyan-program-recently-discovered-was-far-more-extensive-than/) [David Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-kay/) > [As leader of the effort of the Iraqi Survey Group, I spent most of my days not out in the field leading inspections. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-kay/as-leader-of-the-effort-of-the-iraqi-survey-group-i-spent-most-of-my/) [David Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-kay/) > [I think that shows a level of maturity and understanding that I think bodes well for getting to the bottom of this. But it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-kay/i-think-that-shows-a-level-of-maturity-and-understanding-that-i-think/) [David Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-kay/) > [The Germans certainly - the intelligence service believed that there were WMD. It turns out that we were all wrong, probably in my judgment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-kay/the-germans-certainly-the-intelligence-service-believed-that-there/) [David Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-kay/) [Explore all 30 David Kay quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-kay/) ## More Admit quotes > [It is hard to admit to someone that you love him..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misherie/it-is-hard-to-admit-to-someone-that-you-love-him/) [Misherie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misherie/) > [I am not perfect by any means and ill be the first to admit I make plenty of mistakes but I wont make them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-am-not-perfect-by-any-means-and-ill-be-the-first-to-admit-i-make/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think it takes a lot for you to admit you made a mistake and correct it right away, especially on live television.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pia-wurtzbach/i-think-it-takes-a-lot-for-you-to-admit-you-made-a-mistake-and/) [Pia Wurtzbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pia-wurtzbach/) > [I'll admit a little something: If I go to one of those hotels where there's, like, a $50 omelet, I'm taking the silverware home…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-olyphant/i-ll-admit-a-little-something-if-i-go-to-one-of-those-hotels-where/) [Timothy Olyphant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-olyphant/) > [Most celebrities are not going to admit they had work done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-nassif/most-celebrities-are-not-going-to-admit-they-had-work-done/) [Paul Nassif](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-nassif/) > [If you're in rock 'n' roll, you're not supposed to admit to liking theatre stuff, but I'm a big theatregoer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-deyoung/if-you-re-in-rock-n-roll-you-re-not-supposed-to-admit-to-liking/) [Dennis DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-deyoung/) > [No one likes to admit they are racist or bear prejudices. Nor do they even like to be open and honest when they witness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-jacques/no-one-likes-to-admit-they-are-racist-or-bear-prejudices-nor-do-they/) [Martin Jacques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-jacques/) > [I love you. But I have no right to admit it to myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brittany-snyder/i-love-you-but-i-have-no-right-to-admit-it-to-myself/) [Brittany\_Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brittany-snyder/) > [There is something in me-I just can't stand to admit defeat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-sills/there-is-something-in-me-i-just-can-t-stand-to-admit-defeat/) [Beverly Sills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-sills/) > [As far as I can tell, the only unambiguous consequence of the claimed invasion of Earth by beings from another star system has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/as-far-as-i-can-tell-the-only-unambiguous-consequence-of-the-claimed/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [My first exposure to sanitation issues occurred when I got admission into an engineering college. They probably didn't want to admit me and informed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sudha-murty/my-first-exposure-to-sanitation-issues-occurred-when-i-got-admission/) [Sudha Murty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sudha-murty/) > [I have to admit that I get quite emotional listening to the amazing talent that exists in the New York subways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-o-hare/i-have-to-admit-that-i-get-quite-emotional-listening-to-the-amazing/) [Lisa O'Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-o-hare/) > [I was ashamed to admit I was hipped to the idea of acting. That's why I started in with the props.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wayne/i-was-ashamed-to-admit-i-was-hipped-to-the-idea-of-acting-that-s-why/) [John Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wayne/) > [I admit that I am very possessive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kunal-khemu/i-admit-that-i-am-very-possessive/) [Kunal Khemu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kunal-khemu/) > [Some people need to grow up and learn how to admit when they're wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-people-need-to-grow-up-and-learn-how-to-admit-when-they-re-wrong/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 816 Admit quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/admit/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The case of Iran, a nuclear program that the Iranians admit was 18 years on, that we underestimated. And, in fact, we didn't discover it. 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