Posted on 11/17/2009 12:43:14 AM PST by ErnstStavroBlofeld
Iranian construction of a previously secret uranium enrichment site is at an advanced stage, with high-tech equipment already in place at the fortified facility ahead of its 2011 startup, the International Atomic Energy Agency said in a report Monday.
The revelation of the existence of the underground plant known as Fordo, near the holy city of Qom, has heightened concerns of other possible undeclared Iranian facilities that are not subject to IAEA oversight and therefore could be used for military purposes.
In Washington, State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said the IAEA report "underscores that Iran still refuses to comply fully with its international nuclear obligations."
The IAEA report offered no estimate of Fordo's capabilities, but a senior international official familiar with the U.N. agency's work in Iran said it appeared designed to produce about a ton of enriched uranium a year.
The official, as well as analysts, said that would be enough for a nuclear warhead but too little for Iran's civilian reactors that have yet to come online, including the still unfinished plant at the southern port of Bushehr. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the information he was citing was confidential.
"It won't (even) be able to produce a reactor's worth of fuel every 90 years, but it will be able to produce one bomb a year," said Ivan Oelrich, vice president of the Strategic Security Program of the Federation of American Scientists. "It does look strange."
The report did not offer a reason. But the official suggested that experts who used to work at Natanz could be preoccupied with finishing the Fordo site.
As early as three years ago, Iran had said immediate plans for Natanz were to install about 8,000 enriching centrifuges, and Monday's report suggested Tehran had reached that goal.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Ping
Thanks for the ping sonofstrangelove.
I thought it was starting sooner than that, but maybe my recollection of my reading is wrong.
#
A Look at Iran
http://www.truthusa.com/IRAN.html
Great Link to all things Iran!!
Thanks.
Ok, here’s one of the articles:
Previously...
“Iran defiant amid new nuclear plant row”
By Alex Spillius and Andrew Porter in Pittsburgh and David Blair
Published: 7:30AM BST 26 Sep 2009
SNIPPET: “The secret facility, which Western intelligence agencies discovered some months ago, is due to become operational next year. The plant is large enough to hold 3,000 centrifuges, the machines used to enrich uranium. A clandestine facility of this kind, beyond the reach of inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency, would be enough to produce sufficient weapons-grade uranium for one nuclear bomb in about a year.
Mr Obama pointed out that the “size and configuration of this facility is inconsistent with a peaceful programme”. Privately, Western officials pointed out the plant is too small to produce enriched uranium for a civil nuclear power station - but just large enough to make enough weapons-grade material for a bomb every year.
A US official said the facility was located 120 miles south-west of Tehran, in a network of underground tunnels found beneath a military base once used as a missile test site by the Revolutionary Guards.”
Previously...
Quote:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2347570/posts
A Look at Fusion, Centrifuges and Iran (My Title)
THE MEMRI BLOG - 3 Blog Entries ^ | September 24, 2009 | n/a
Posted on September 24, 2009 2:40:03 PM PDT by Cindy
Note: The following blog entry is a quote:
http://www.thememriblog.org/iran/blog_personal/en/20268.htm
Iranian Nuclear Chief: We’ll Progress In Nuclear Fusion
Iranian Atomic Energy Organization director Ali Akbar Salehi has said that Iran is researching nuclear fusion and that it will make great progress in that area.
Source: ISNA, Iran, September 22, 2009
Posted at: 2009-09-23
### ###
Note: The following blog entry is a quote:
http://www.thememriblog.org/blog_personal/en/20234.htm
Blog Details Iran: We’ve Started Producing Improved Centrifuges
Iranian Atomic Energy Organization director Ali Akbar Salehi says that Iran has begun to produce a new generation of improved centrifuges, and that he assesses that Israel is not in a position to attack Iran.
Sources: Fars, ISNA, Iran, September 22, 2009
Posted at: 2009-09-22
### ###
Note: The following blog entry is a quote:
http://www.thememriblog.org/blog_personal/en/19383.htm
Iranian Website: Enhanced IAEA Supervision – Proof of Iran’s Flexibility
The Iranian website Tabnak stated that, by allowing the IAEA to install more cameras in its nuclear facility in Natanz, and by allowing IAEA inspectors to visit the heavy water plant in Arak, Iran had demonstrated its desire to break the deadlock in the nuclear talks, scheduled to reopen in November. The site stated further that Iran was operating 10,000 centrifuges and testing 2,000 more.
Source: Tabnak (Iran), August 21, 2009
Posted at: 2009-08-23
Previously...
Quote:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2299489/posts
Iranian VP Parviz Davoudi: Iran is Operating Over 12,000 Centrifuges...
MEMRI.org - pecial Dispatch - No. 2456 ^ | n/a
Posted on July 23, 2009 1:29:00 PM PDT by Cindy
Special Dispatch - No. 2456 July 22, 2009
Iranian VP Parviz Davoudi: Iran is Operating Over 12,000 Centrifuges; Any Attempt to Destabilize the Iranian Regime Will Undermine the Security of the Middle East and Entire World At a July 12, 2009 conference on promoting the mentality of self-sacrifice among women, convened under the auspices of the Martyrs Foundation in Tehran, Iranian Vice President Parviz Davoudi stated that Iran was making progress in nuclear technology as well as in the field of ballistic missiles, and that it currently was operating over 12,000 centrifuges. Davoudi stated that the struggle between Iran and its enemies was essentially cultural and ideological, and that the religious democracy of the Islamic Revolutionary Regime would prevail over Western democracy. He threatened that if Iran’s enemies continued their efforts to destabilize the Iranian regime, Iran would undermine the stability of the Middle East and of the entire world, because it has a presence in all European countries and in the Americas. He also conveyed a warning message to opponents of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Iran.
Following are excerpts from Davoudi’s address
(Excerpt) Read more at memri.org ...
Sufficient time for the Israeli Air Force to plan a combined arms raid on the Qom nuke plant.
I agree with you 100 percent
I really like your links.
Thank you sonofstrangelove.
I try to stay current with events.
Kepp up the good work.
:)
I’ll try and thank you for your threads Sonofstrangelove.
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