Ominous development in Iran's path to nuclear weapon

(CBS News) WASHINGTON -- Iran is planning to speed up its nuclear program by using new centrifuges that can quickly enrich uranium so that it could be used to build an atomic bomb sooner than had been anticipated.

The White House called this "another provocative step by Iran."

The 3,000 centrifuges would take up to a year to install, so Iran still has not crossed the threshold to a nuclear weapon. But to David Albright, who closely monitors the Iranian nuclear program, this is an ominous development.

David Albright

/ CBS News

"It's Iran signaling that they're going to dramatically increase their capability to produce enriched uranium, and it's the thing that everyone has been fearing," Albright says.

The new centrifuges, which Iran apparently has been able to produce despite international sanctions, could turn out enriched uranium at three to five times the rate of its current centrifuges.

Once installed and in operation, the centrifuges could give Iran the capability to make a dash for the bomb faster than the U.S. and its allies could react.

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"In one or two weeks, they could have enough for a nuclear weapon, and that's going to be hard to both detect and respond to," says Albright.

Asked whether Iran's desire to break out from its current nuclear capability would be detectable, Albright says, "But it may be detectable after they've finished."

Albright estimates Iran could achieve that so-called break-out capability by the middle of 2014, although Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has famously drawn a red line that Iran could cross as early as the middle of this year. Israel's red line is based simply on the amount of uranium Iran has enriched.

Iran's intentions remain a mystery, but one thing is certain: they keep getting better at enriching uranium.

[sensi2]

What a garbage, starting with "David Albright", resume fraudster claiming that he was a former UN inspector while he never was, an israeli citizen and AIPAC speaker: lol, obviously somebody objective and without any agenda, don't you think so David Martin?
The nauseous propaganda of the far-right israel apologists and mouth-pieces is just too funny.

[Sassan31]

As an Iranian, I call on all the civilized people of the world to stand with the Iranian people in opposing this regime. This regime is an apocalyptic regime that is a grave threat to humanity that won't hesitate to use nuclear weapons for their perverse purposes. At the end of the day, under no circumstances must the free world allow this regime to possess such weaponry. I am confident that this will be so. This regime is a grave threat to humanity and this threat will only get exponentially worse until we get rid of the Islamic Republic. Thank you for your time.

[mussurani]

Have you not read this country's history in atomic and nuclear use? We have not hesitated to use nuclear weapons for our own errant reasons. It's deeper than "to have a bomb, or not to have a bomb", it's about POWER, plain and simple.

[eroteme2]

The White House called this another povocative step by Iran. Did the White House make this call? Perhaps there was someone within the White House who made the call? I should think it is a given the White House cannot itself speak. Albright is quoted who does not reside within the White House nor does she have any official governmental status. Whatever, now Iran has been told they have made 'another provocative step', this will really upset them! Where is Obama, our leader?

[taylorsucram]

SO WHAT? I'm tired of AIPAC and the Jewish lobby. Here is the historical truth. In 1953 The democratically elected government of Iran was overthrown by the CIA and Britain's MI6. Hear that America? A Democracy was overthrown by Democratic America and the Shah was installed as Dictator.

When the "Shah" was finally kicked out of the Country, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini wanted the Billions of Dollars in Iranian assets that had been deposited in the "Chase Manhattan Bank" released to Iran. This would have caused the 3rd largest bank in the world (at that time) to fail. The U.S. was having none of that, nor was David Rockefeller, Chairman & CEO of Chase Manhattan Bank and founding member of the Tri-lateral Commission along with other commission members such as , Alan Greenspan and Zbigniew Brzezinski. Eventually this led to the Iranian hostage crisis and oil embargo.

Since that time we have backed Iraq (under Saddam Hussein when he was our buddy) in their 7-8 year war with Iran; we have shot down an Iranian civilian passenger jet killing all 290 civilians on board in 1988 and have yet to return the billions of dollars in Iranian money over to the Nation of Iran.

The fact that very few American citizens are even aware of the above mentioned circumstances lends proof that Europeans view us as a nation of dummies lacking minimum comprehension as to the "cause and effect of our actions.

Let me tell you about ISRAEL AND WEAPONS ... Israel has sold weapons-and with the weapons come Israeli advisers-to ... MEXICO(Drug Cartels?), NICARAGUA (under Somoza)... VENEZUELA (under Chavez)... CHINA, IRAN, and a number of European countries and several non-governmental factions. Sometimes even the least desirable customers have required some softening up: "Greatly detailed stories abound of the huge bribes Israel has used to suborn defense ministries, with the sole objective of nailing down arms deals.

Israel was the go-between during the Arms-for-Hostages deal Ronald Reagan and Oliver North had going on. Israel received armaments from America, added their "markup" and then sold them to Iran. Iran then released the hostages .... wow!

IRAN NEEDS A NUKE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!!!

[Sassan31]

You are a moral coward and a sick human being advocating nuclear weapons for such a heinous fascist regime. You are what Lenin referred to as a "Useful Idiot". Except you are a "Useful Idiot" of the Islamofascist stripe.

[littleredtop]

Perhaps its time that someone to drop some already enriched uranium on those maniacs.

[aintfakin]

justified

[keeferight]

Puhleeze! Iran's nuclear intentions are not a mystery. They need nuclear power to generate electricity. Currently they must burn their only source of wealth, oil, in order to supply the demand for electric power. A quick look at a map of the country will reveal that hydroelectric is not an option for them. They seek to maximize their profits by eliminating a major drain on their resource. Duh.

[aintfakin]

and thats why they constantly threaten the western world? Only north korea has a more littledik belligerence about them

[BigBlivefromny]

Not sure, my science isn't the best, but i am pretty sure u don't need bomb grade level enriched uranium to build power plants, HELLO!

[spitbucketbaptismo]

Iran is fully in compliance with the Nuclear NonProliferation Treaty. Every last American intel concern says the same thing. Were Iran to withdraw from the NPT, well, that might change things entirely. However, Iran has no plans to do that. Curious that Israel refuses to sign on to the NPT.
The only 'ominous development' here is CBS obfuscation about what is relevant.

[hypnotoad72]

And India, which hasn't signed it, but even Japan was telling India to do that last year...

NPT or not, India and Pakistan and others have nukes and have not used them.

The difference is, their leaders - that I know of - have never screamed about wanting to blow x or y country off the face of the map... the contextual difference is there...

[ex-NAVY]

"Iran's intentions remain a mystery"

Must be for medical use:(

[TPAULA]

The US has no right to tell Iran what they can do. I trust Iran more than the US. Which country has found itself in more wars in the last 100 years? The US looks for wars to start, it comes natural to an imperialist country, and has been on the bad side for the great majority of those wars, killing 100's of thousands of innocent people.

[mewcomm]

Please stop with the hysterical headlines. There is nothing "ominous" about Iran's behaviour. They are proceed exactly as they wish with indifference to the West. For there is little to fear but words and angst from Western leaders.

This is a time for hard men. Men who are Killers. Men like Russian Field Konstantin Rossokovsky, American General Curtis LeMay, Israeli General Ariel Sharon or German Field Marshal Eric Von Manstein. Men who did not flinch. Those in power today wouldn't qualify to shine the boots of any of the aforementioned, much less deal with a nuclear Iran.