U.N. Finds More Enriched Uranium in Iran
Thu September 25, 2003 08:28 AM ET
VIENNA (Reuters) - The U.N. nuclear watchdog has found further traces of enriched uranium in Iran, though this discovery could support Tehran's explanation that the traces are due to contamination, diplomats told Reuters.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the diplomats said the new traces of highly-enriched uranium were found at the Kalaye Electric Co.
Earlier this year, the U.N. inspectors found traces of enriched uranium at another nuclear site in Iran, raising suspicions that Iran has been secretly purifying uranium for use in an atomic weapon.
Tehran, which says its nuclear program is peaceful, has blamed the earlier find, at Natanz, on machinery it says it purchased abroad. This explanation has met with skepticism inside and outside the IAEA.
However, one Western based diplomat said failure to get a positive result from samples taken at Kalaye would have been surprising, as this is where Iran said it stored the centrifuge components which it says were contaminated.
"Not getting a positive result would have been odd," the diplomat said. "This was the facility where components used in the centrifuges were said to be stored and manufactured."
Another Western diplomat disagreed, saying that this finding would probably not vindicate Iran, but complicated its explanation.
"This finding may actually raise even more questions about the discovery of enriched uranium," the diplomat told Reuters.
IAEA officials were not immediately available for comment.
Centrifuges are used to purify uranium for use in nuclear fuel -- or in weapons.
Iran has until October 31 to enable the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to prove it has no secret nuclear weapons program, as the United States alleges, or it will be reported to the U.N. Security Council for possible economic sanctions.
http://reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=3506742