Suspicions Mount That Iranians Are Seeking Atom Bomb (Caught Again)

The Telegraph (UK) ^ | 2-20-2004 | Anton La Guardia

[blam]

Suspicions mount that Iranians are seeking atom bomb By Anton La Guardia, Diplomatic Editor (Filed: 20/02/2004)

United Nations nuclear inspectors have discovered components for sophisticated uranium enrichment equipment that Iran failed to declare, deepening suspicions that Teheran is seeking an atomic bomb.

The unravelling of the nuclear network operated by Abdul Qadeer Khan, the father of Pakistan's bomb, has exposed Iran to ever more damaging disclosures of its attempts to hide nuclear-related facilities.

Weapons analysts claim that the medium range Shahab-3 missile could reach Israel or US bases in Gulf

"We have serious concerns about these reports," said the White House spokesman, Scott McClellan, yesterday. "We have long said that our belief is Iran is pursuing a nuclear weapons programme under the cover of a peaceful effort."

A senior diplomat said recently: "If all you want to do is enrich uranium for nuclear fuel, then the G1 centrifuge is enough. The G2 could point to a military programme."

According to diplomats familiar with investigations by the International Atomic Energy Agency, inspectors have found designs and parts for a G2 uranium enrichment centrifuge - a more advanced version of the G1 system previously declared by Iran.

Centrifuges are tubes that spin at high speed to separate fissile uranium 235 isotopes that can be used for nuclear fuel, or at high concentrations for nuclear bombs.

Some reports said the components were found on an Iranian air force base. If this is confirmed, it would create a possible link between Iran's nuclear programme and the military, despite claims that nuclear facilities are entirely civilian and designed to generate electricity.

The IAEA is due to report formally on its findings in the coming days. But the leaks corroborate a report by the Telegraph this month which quoted American sources as accusing Iran of trying to operate a parallel enrichment programme.

Under pressure from the IAEA, Iran has repeatedly been forced to change its story in the past year. In recent days it has admitted for the first time to carrying out "research and development" with G2 centrifuges. But it insists it disclosed the work to the IAEA.

Hamid Reza Asefi, spokesman for the Iranian foreign ministry, said: "Iran's nuclear activities are entirely peaceful and Iran has not had and nor does it have military nuclear activities."

The USA Today newspaper reported yesterday that the G2 components had been found at a military base identified as Doshan Tapeh. But Mr Asefi said: "In none of Iran's military centres is a nuclear programme being pursued and [G2] centrifuges do not exist in such centres."

Under a deal brokered by European countries last October, Iran admitted to violations over 18 years. In return, it was spared a referral to the UN Security Council. Iran admitted it had made small "laboratory scale" quantities of weapons-grade uranium and plutonium - offering two possible routes to a bomb.

Teheran also promised to "suspend" the operation of its large enrichment facilities in Natanz based on the G1 design using aluminium tubes. G2 centrifuges are made of a high-strength, lightweight alloy that can spin much faster.

Both versions are based on designs stolen by Khan from Holland in the 1970s and used to make fissile material for Pakistan's nuclear weapons.

Libya admitted buying the G1 and G2 versions from Khan's network, as well as a design for a nuclear warhead provided by China to Pakistan.

Diplomats suspect that Iran failed to make a full declaration. One said: "Libya bought three items on sale - the G1, the G2 and a weapon design. The Iranians admitted to the G1, and now to research with the G2. The question is whether they also have a weapon design."

America will seize on the IAEA's findings to demand that Iran be referred to the Security Council for possible sanctions when the IAEA board meets next month.

But the European countries negotiating with Iran to come clean - Britain, France and Germany - fear that this would be an empty gesture unless Russia and China agreed to take tough action.

[Cicero]

Not good. The Democrats would jump all over Bush if he tried to do anything about it. For them, everything is just politics, even the lives of our citizens and the security of our country. And 95% of the media are prepared to lie for them.

[muawiyah]

"Weapons analysts claim that the medium range Shahab-3 missile could reach Israel or US bases in Gulf"

Then, too, the Iranians could just haul them up to the border they share with Iraq or Afghanistan and reach US bases and outposts without first hauling them down to the Gulf!

[trebb]

"It's all an exaggeration."

-Presidential wannabe John F**king Kerry-

[Fitzcarraldo]

Don't worry, once Bush is reelected his hands are unbound.

[Fitzcarraldo]

Don't worry, once Bush is reelected his hands are unbound.

[JimSEA]

This reinforces one's concern about the Mullahs fixing the upcoming election. They ahve promised to kick out the IAEA and thus eliminate any small (and it is small) deterent their inspections may have.

We may soon come to the point of putting up or shutting up both in Iran and with the Paks. The degree of radicalism in both countries is far and away greater than it ever has been in Iraq.

[Chris Talk]

I am SHAWKED, Shawked, I say!

[stboz]

Never, never, ever trust a moslem to tell the truth to an infidel. These crudballs want power and lots of it. I think we need to give them an overload.

[sheik yerbouty]

Maybe the mullahs should get them via air delivery.

[Kewlhand`tek]

never trust a man that wipes his ass with his bare hands

[RickofEssex]

Russia trains 600 Iranian nuclear experts

MOSCOW (AFP) Feb 18, 2004
Russia has trained 600 Iranian experts to work on the Islamic republic's first nuclear power station, which Washington fears is being used to develop atomic weapons, the ITAR-TASS news agency reported Wednesday.
An Iranian nuclear official told the agency that the experts had undergone training at the Novovoronezh centre, 500 kilometres (300 miles) south of Moscow, which is to prepare some 700 specialists for work in the Bushehr plant.

Russia has faced intense pressure over its construction of the Bushehr reactor from the United States, which fears that Iran could use fuel from the reactor for a weapons program, though Washington has toned down its criticism in the past several months.

"We still have doubts about the wisdom of Russia's work to build an atomic power station at Bushehr," Alexander Vershbow, the US ambassador in Moscow, said last week.

Russia, which has refused to abandon the 800-million-dollar project, provisionally plans to deliver fuel to Bushehr by mid 2005 and plans for the reactor to start operating a year later.

[Tamzee]

We have to get Bush re-elected. Eight years of Kerry would see every thug in the world equipped with nukes.