New HEU Traces Found in Iran
International inspectors have discovered new traces of highly enriched uranium on equipment from an Iranian nuclear site that Tehran later razed to the ground, Reuters reported today.
The International Atomic Energy Agency disclosed in a report last month to the U.N. Security Council that samples from vacuum pumps acquired by a former research center at Lavizan-Shian, which was razed in 2004 before agency inspectors could examine it, yielded trace amounts of HEU.
“Preliminary analysis by the IAEA showed traces of highly enriched uranium in the (pump) samples,” a Western diplomat told Reuters.
A diplomat in Vienna confirmed the finding but said the implications were ambiguous.
“It’s no smoking gun. There could be many explanations. But it increases pressure on Iran to come clean about Lavizan,” the diplomat said.
The agency three years ago found traces of HEU at several sites in Iran, most 0f which is believed to have come from equipment sold to Iran by the international black market network once led by former top Pakistani nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan.
“Even if it is the same contamination, this is a significant finding because it indicates something was going on at Lavizan,” said David Albright, president of the Institute for Science and International Security.
Albright said the traces indicated a possible second parallel enrichment program in Iran in addition to its declared one, though no concrete proof of such a site has been discovered.
Western diplomats said that even during Iran’s 2 1/2 year suspension of uranium enrichment, its scientists have made significant improvements their mastery of centrifuges.
“Our (intelligence) assessment is that you cannot explain Iran’s progress without secret (enrichment) sites being involved,” said one diplomat.
Another diplomat from the same country said he believed small quantities of uranium hexafluoride were being diverted from Iran’s uranium conversion plant in Isfahan to undisclosed enrichment sites elsewhere in the country.
A European Union diplomat, said the international inspectors also had such suspicions but no proof (Louis Charbonneau, Reuters/Washington Post, May 12).
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad today dismissed the possibility of military action against his country in connection with its nuclear standoff with the West, Reuters reported.
“This whole thing is just psychological propaganda, but they know the Islamic republic nation of Iran is a strong nation. I think they have better sense than to have a war with Iran,” said Ahmadinejad.
Ahmadinejad also accused the International Atomic Energy Agency of double standards and being unduly influenced by Western powers.
“The IAEA has acted against its original mission because of pressures from the powerful countries,” he said.
He said he would respect any U.N. Security Council decisions that conform to international law.
“If their decision is not in line with the international regulations then we will not pay attention to it,” he said.
Meanwhile, agency Director General Mohamed ElBaradei praised the U.N. Security Council for holding off on sanctions against Iran while European powers formulate a new incentives package (Tomi Soetjipto, Reuters, May 12).
U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan today urged the United States to participate in any future talks with Iran, the Washington Post reported.
“I have asked all sides to lower the rhetoric and intensify diplomatic efforts to find a solution,” Annan said.
“Everyone, every important stakeholder should be at a table,” he said. “I urge all parties to be open, Iran included, and come back to the table and find a solution.”
“I have insisted very clearly both in private in my contacts with the American administration and publicly that I think it’s important that the United States come to the table, and that they should join the European countries and Iran to find a solution,” Annan said (Associated Press/Washington Post, May 12).
At a meeting in Moscow yesterday, Iranian officials pressed Russia to complete construction of the Bushehr nuclear reactor, Agence France-Presse reported.
“During our discussions with the Russians we told them that since 92 percent of the Bushehr plant has already been completed, they can speed up building the equipment and also they can work in three shifts, so the plant could be completed soon,” said Mohammad Saeedi, deputy head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Agency.
Saeedi said he also urged Russia to deliver fuel for the plant.
“We also complained to the Russians, since they have not lived up to their commitment to deliver the needed fuel for the Bushehr reactor. We asked them to do it as soon as possible,” he said (Agence France-Presse/Interactive Investor, May 12).
The International Atomic Energy Agency disclosed in a report last month to the U.N. Security Council that samples from vacuum pumps acquired by a former research center at Lavizan-Shian, which was razed in 2004 before agency inspectors could examine it, yielded trace amounts of HEU.
“Preliminary analysis by the IAEA showed traces of highly enriched uranium in the (pump) samples,” a Western diplomat told Reuters.
A diplomat in Vienna confirmed the finding but said the implications were ambiguous.
“It’s no smoking gun. There could be many explanations. But it increases pressure on Iran to come clean about Lavizan,” the diplomat said.
The agency three years ago found traces of HEU at several sites in Iran, most 0f which is believed to have come from equipment sold to Iran by the international black market network once led by former top Pakistani nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan.
“Even if it is the same contamination, this is a significant finding because it indicates something was going on at Lavizan,” said David Albright, president of the Institute for Science and International Security.
Albright said the traces indicated a possible second parallel enrichment program in Iran in addition to its declared one, though no concrete proof of such a site has been discovered.
Western diplomats said that even during Iran’s 2 1/2 year suspension of uranium enrichment, its scientists have made significant improvements their mastery of centrifuges.
“Our (intelligence) assessment is that you cannot explain Iran’s progress without secret (enrichment) sites being involved,” said one diplomat.
Another diplomat from the same country said he believed small quantities of uranium hexafluoride were being diverted from Iran’s uranium conversion plant in Isfahan to undisclosed enrichment sites elsewhere in the country.
A European Union diplomat, said the international inspectors also had such suspicions but no proof (Louis Charbonneau, Reuters/Washington Post, May 12).
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad today dismissed the possibility of military action against his country in connection with its nuclear standoff with the West, Reuters reported.
“This whole thing is just psychological propaganda, but they know the Islamic republic nation of Iran is a strong nation. I think they have better sense than to have a war with Iran,” said Ahmadinejad.
Ahmadinejad also accused the International Atomic Energy Agency of double standards and being unduly influenced by Western powers.
“The IAEA has acted against its original mission because of pressures from the powerful countries,” he said.
He said he would respect any U.N. Security Council decisions that conform to international law.
“If their decision is not in line with the international regulations then we will not pay attention to it,” he said.
Meanwhile, agency Director General Mohamed ElBaradei praised the U.N. Security Council for holding off on sanctions against Iran while European powers formulate a new incentives package (Tomi Soetjipto, Reuters, May 12).
U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan today urged the United States to participate in any future talks with Iran, the Washington Post reported.
“I have asked all sides to lower the rhetoric and intensify diplomatic efforts to find a solution,” Annan said.
“Everyone, every important stakeholder should be at a table,” he said. “I urge all parties to be open, Iran included, and come back to the table and find a solution.”
“I have insisted very clearly both in private in my contacts with the American administration and publicly that I think it’s important that the United States come to the table, and that they should join the European countries and Iran to find a solution,” Annan said (Associated Press/Washington Post, May 12).
At a meeting in Moscow yesterday, Iranian officials pressed Russia to complete construction of the Bushehr nuclear reactor, Agence France-Presse reported.
“During our discussions with the Russians we told them that since 92 percent of the Bushehr plant has already been completed, they can speed up building the equipment and also they can work in three shifts, so the plant could be completed soon,” said Mohammad Saeedi, deputy head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Agency.
Saeedi said he also urged Russia to deliver fuel for the plant.
“We also complained to the Russians, since they have not lived up to their commitment to deliver the needed fuel for the Bushehr reactor. We asked them to do it as soon as possible,” he said (Agence France-Presse/Interactive Investor, May 12).
posted by Marko at 5/12/2006 06:55:00 PM
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