A former member of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards who spied for the United States tells Newsmax that Iran probably is on the brink of obtaining nuclear weapons — and says he is certain it will use them to bring about the “chaos” they seek.

Reza Kahlili also says the “fanatical minority” who rule Iran will kill as many people as they have to in order to stave off regime change.

Kahlili joined the Revolutionary Guards after the 1979 Iranian revolution, but became deeply troubled by what he witnessed and agreed to work for American intelligence from within the Guards for several years during the 1980s and 1990s.

Kahlili — he uses a pseudonym to protect himself and his family — now lives in California and is the author of the new book “A Time to Betray: The Astonishing Double Life of a CIA Agent Inside the Revolutionary Guards of Iran.”

Story continues below




In an exclusive interview with Newsmax.TV, Kahlili tells how he came to betray the Republican Guards and spy for America.

“What I witnessed horrified me in Iran — the torture, the rape, the executions. I was bewildered. I was puzzled. So I decided to come to America to ask for help, knowing that America would step in and help the people of Iran.

“I contacted the FBI to pass information about the Iranian government. They put me in touch with a CIA officer and he asked me if I was willing to go back and become their eyes and ears to help my country.”

Kahlili was asked whether he believes the Iranian official who recently said Iran would have nuclear capabilities within a month.

“It’s quite possible,” he responds. “I mean the West has got it wrong for decades. We can’t trust our analyses of when they will reach that point.

“They’ve been putting up parallel projects – uranium, plutonium, missile delivery, heavy water plants. These all point to several projects with one aim: to obtain nuclear bombs. So it could be any month or even any day. They could have one already. Nobody knows.”

As to why Iran is so intent on becoming a nuclear power, Kahlili says one reason is to become “untouchable” as it aids terrorist groups in the Middle East, “with the philosophy of Islam conquering the world.

“And right now I can tell you clearly that this fanatical minority in leadership truly believes that they will be the initiators in bringing about the reappearance of the Twelfth Imam, the Mahdi. I can see that they will use this mass destruction weapon in order to bring chaos and lawlessness to prepare for the coming of the last messiah.”

Asked whether he is “very confident” that Iran will use nuclear weapons at some point, Kahlili tells Newsmax: “I am certain that they will use nukes.

“As it is, the world is afraid to confront Iran because of the power the Revolutionary Guards hold and the threats they make. Just imagine how much more they will [hold] the world hostage when they become nuclear armed. The consequences would be horrific for the world.”

Kahlili maintains that sanctions against Iran have not worked and will never work in the future, and more drastic action is necessary. The approach of President Obama to seek a diplomatic solution coupled with sanctions “has failed,” he adds. “You have to acknowledge that and then take serious actions from here on out.”

President George W. Bush said regime change would be the best possible solution to the Iranian threat. Kahlili agrees.

“The people of Iran have been spoiling for freedom and democracy for the past 12 years,” he says.

“They’ve been suffocated and suppressed every time. Without the help of the Western world, without us being vocally supportive of the people of Iran’s aspirations, they’re not going to succeed because the rulers of Iran will not shy away from killing as many as it takes to solidify power.”

Kahlili also tells Newsmax:

• President George H.W. Bush knew in advance that Iraq was about to invade Kuwait but allowed the invasion to take place in order to demonstrate to Arab leaders that they need U.S. support and to take out the Iraqi military.
• Iran is using its oil wealth not only to arm and train Hamas and Hezbollah but also to help the Taliban and al-Qaida fight U.S. forces in Afghanistan.
• Iran arranged for the bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, in 1988 in retaliation for the U.S. Navy's downing of an Iranian civilian jet five months earlier.