The agreement also commits both sides to combating terrorist activities, including those of Al Qaeda and the Iranian opposition group known as the People's Mujahedeen.

... what does information about their current support of terrorist groups operating inside Iraq tell us about the true intentions and ultimate course of action by the mullahs? Their nuclear program will continue in covert increments under the nose of UN scrutiny. Even the IAEA admits the possibility of past covert effort:

But the agency, known as the International Atomic Energy Agency, did not totally reject the view of the United States and the three European countries that Iran was trying to develop nuclear weapons, saying it could not rule out covert activities.

Iran's nuclear motivation hinges on the clearest possible avenues of self-interest:

A. Blackmailing the West into providing beneficial agreements (trade and otherwise) by threatening nuclear development. (Assured)

B. The exponential increase in prestige provided by the eventual obtention of nuclear weapons. This includes an Islamic counterweight to Israeli nuclear dominance of the region, a guarantee against attempted external overthrow or conventional retaliation against acts of aggression (the Doctrine of Extended Deterrence), and a new solidification of fundamentalist authority at home. (Assured)

C. The ultimate use of nuclear weapons on the United States or Israel via a terrorist proxy. (Unlikely but possible)

"A" will become a short-term reality as the Iranians delay and obfuscate certain actions while reaping the rewards of WTO membership and other trade concessions. If Iran's program remains unmolested by unilateral military action, "B" is the likely mid to long-term scenario and goal of the Iranians, a massive bargaining chip that presents them with new authority in the region. A nuclear umbrella will give the mullahs freer reign to conduct aggressive destabilization operations in Iraq, as well as more open action against Israel. "C" is a scenario that many analysts might label as impossible in light of Iran's state self-interest, but represents an awful risk, especially in light of the fact that Iranian officials have overtly declared the intention to carry out nuclear action against Britain, the United States and the entire "Anglo-Saxon race."

The NY Times would label my analysis as that of a "hard-liner;" I'd call it a practical glimpse at nasty reality.

(US News link via Ace)

UPDATE: Post slightly edited for clarity.

UPDATE: Captain Ed has another startling bit of news:

A group of Iranian exiles claim that the Khan network of Pakistan has already given the Iranian mullahcracy the necessary plans for nuclear weapons as well as a small amount of weapons-grade uranium, making the Iranian claims of developing nothing other than a peaceful nuclear-energy program suspect[.]