Source: Iran Assembled Nuclear Devices

Two Uranium Enrichment Units Built In Underground Complex, Officials Say

(AP)  Technicians have assembled two small uranium enrichment units at Iran's underground Natanz complex, diplomats and officials said Monday. The move underscored Tehran's defiance of a U.N. Security Council ban on the program, which could be used to create nuclear arms.

Speaking separately — and demanding anonymity because their information was confidential — a diplomat accredited to the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency and a U.S. official said that two separate "cascades" of 164 centrifuges each had been set up in recent days.

The likely next step was "dry testing" — running the linkups without uranium gas inside — to be followed by spinning and re-spinning the gas. The process, known as enrichment, can be used to fuel nuclear power plants. But at higher levels of enrichment the material can be used in the fissile core of nuclear warheads.

The news had been widely expected. Both the Iranian leadership and the Vienna-based IAEA, which is the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog agency, had said recently that Tehran would start assembling the machines this month.

Comments last week by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad signaled that Iran would begin the installation before Feb. 11 — the final day of nationwide celebrations in memory of the 1979 Islamic revolution. He has also called people to the streets that day to show support for the nuclear program.

In another sign that Tehran was forging ahead with plans to create a large-scale "pilot plant" — 3,000 centrifuges running in series — U.N. officials late last week told the AP that that piping, cables, control panels and air conditioning systems had been installed at Natanz to support such a number of machines.

Still, with Tehran under U.N. sanctions because of its refusal to give up the program, any decision by Iran to start assembling the so-called "cascades" ups the ante in Tehran's confrontation with the United States and other nations that believe it is trying to make nuclear weapons.

Iran says it wants to use the technology to generate nuclear power, but the U.S. and other nations believe Iran is intent on using the process to develop weapons.

A 3,000-centrifuge operation — the cornerstone of what the Iranians say will be a large-scale complex of 54,000 centrifuges — could be used to produce fissile material for two bombs a year.

IAEA officials had no comment. A U.N. official familiar with the agency's probe of Tehran's nuclear program said, however, that when IAEA inspectors last visited Natanz last week, no cascades had been assembled.

The U.S. State Department did not confirm or deny the reports Monday, saying only that it would push for "incremental" U.N. Security Council sanctions against Iran if Tehran authorities continue to ignore council demands for suspension of the country's uranium enrichment program.

Spokesman Sean McCormack said that Iran appears to be continuing "down the path of isolation."

The U.N. Security Council, which last month agreed on limited sanctions targeting people and programs linked to Iran's nuclear and missile programs, has threatened to impose further sanctions on Iran later this month if it continues to refuse to roll back its program.

Even if Tehran successfully installs 3,000 centrifuges, experts estimate it would still take several years for all of them to be running smoothly.

There has been speculation Tehran might be content to install several cascades and then temporarily freeze its activities at Natanz, hoping to be able to negotiate with a strengthened hand.

But a senior diplomat who represents his country at the IAEA said recent conversations with Iranian officials showed no signs of such a strategy.

"We declared we're going to have 3,000 and we are going to have 3,000," he said, paraphrasing an Iranian official on Tehran's plans for Natanz this year.

The International Institute for Strategic Studies, a London-based think tank, last week estimated that Iran was two to three years away from having the capacity to build a nuclear weapon. The head of U.S. national intelligence, John Negroponte, has spoken of a four-year period.

Even before starting subterranean work, Iran already had two experimental cascades of 164 centrifuges each, as well as several partially assembled cascades, all above ground at Natanz. They have been the subject or regular inspections by IAEA teams, although their authority has been restricted for a year, since Tehran withdrew broader inspecting rights after its nuclear file was referred to the U.N. Security Council.

lars008

Scott Ritter ex-marine, and head weapons inspector for Iraq quits the military to speak out about the pending invasion of Iraq, to speak out about all the lies the US government and mainstream media where spreading about Iraq.

Now he is doing the same about Iran, in hindsight we can see he war correct on Iraq
Yet now, you'd believe he is lying about what he says about Iran

have a look here, see what he states
then let me know why you think he is wrong,
remember he is an American, an ex-marine

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/10/16/144204&mode=thread&tid=25

lars008

You%u2019re probably not even aware that corporate America is responsible for funding Hitler, and enabling hitler to do what he did.

We are talking in the millions of funding, we are talking GM and Ford building almost half of Hitlers tanks for him

have a read here

http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=viewArticle&code=PAU20070127&articleId=4607

peace

to lars008

I didn't think you'd have a look at the links I posted yesterday. You're far to busy being right, meaning your not wrong, of course your not.

you say
i believe this iranian....
Ali Sina, an ex-Muslim from Iran.


and if you and I where debating on this board pre the invasion of Iraq, because of ALL the WMD Saddam had in Iraq. You would be saying
I believe Ahmad Chalabi, he is an ex-Iraqi and has given the US government information that proves saddam has WMD.

In hindsight we can see that, well you were completely wrong, you where lied to.


when someone lies to you, do you believe them the next time they tell you something ?

this is called blind faith, it only means:
you don't see it, you truly don't get it
you are blind

and to busy being right, to read from other news sources to inform yourself. the same news sources I sent the links to, the same news sources that where correct about Iraq, and the lies about the WMD before the invasion took place.

funny hey
the links I sent, in hindsight where right about Iraq and the lies. The mainstream news stations you listen to, and defend - where wrong.

oh well
hitler had his supporters right until the end
and so will the Bush Government, that is where you lars008 come in.



peace

[inventagod]

"Speaking separately %u2014 and demanding anonymity because their information was confidential %u2014 a diplomat accredited to the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency and a U.S. official said"

And we wonder why we get 'Bad Intel"...

[lars008-2009]

true fascist nazi islam...........hahahahaha
http://www.henryk-broder.de/tagebuch/karikaturisten.html

[crater7]

WOW! HERES ONE FOR YOU;A HEADLINE ON CNN.com, STATES, U S MILITARY: IRAQI LAWMAKER IS US EMBASSY BOMMER. JAMAL JARAAR MOHAMMED, WAS SENTENCED TO DEATH IN KUWAIT FOR THE 1983 BOMBINGS OF THE US AND FRENCE EMBASSIES, NOW SITS IN IRAQS PARLIAMENT, AND HAS IMMUNITY FROM PROSECUTION. WOW! TALK ABOUT SECURITY WOES. SINCE HE CANNOT BE PROSECUTED, MAYBE BUSH, CAN SEND IN THE GUYS, FROM 24, OR THE UNIT, AND TAKE HIM OUT. WHY NOT, THEY DO IT ALL THE TIME ON TV. CALL JACK, UN LIKE BUSH, HE WILL GET THE JOB DONE.

[getserious1]

Amazing how 1 point in hundreds for either the extreme right or left makes Bush a liar or a God and he is neither.
When are you muslim extremists (bluestardad) going to get over WHY we are in IRAQ and start looking for ways for us to WIN in Iraq?? Stop your complaining and offer some real solutions to the terrorism issue. I don't think anyone believes that if we simply up and leave Iraq, that this will stop the terrorist from trying to attack non-muslims. Or do you?? If so, what evidence in the last 40 years can you offer that would show some sort of restraint from the terrorists?? Who hijacked planes in the 60's and 70's? Who sets off bombs in the middle of busy market places? Surely you muslims pretending to be libs can show that this is some right wing conspiricy?? WHO IS BLOWING UP INNOCENT CITIZENS ALL AROUND THE WORLD?? And before you bring it up, NO, the USA does NOT TARGET civilians. TARGET is the key word....

[lars008-2009]

An Israeli Muslim in America

"Parents can no longer ignore the anti-Israel propaganda at American universities."

http://www.frontpagema
g.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=21411n

[lars008-2009]

yep, the truth that you are pro fascist nazi islam, anti usa and israel.....

there were fascist nazi german collaborators as well.....

but maybe you are actually a fascist nazi muslim yourself pretending to be an american liberal........

[bluestardad]

Truth will be exposed and will engage all who have hidden it!

Founded in 1953 by Isaiah L. "Si" Kenen, AIPAC's original name was the American Zionist Committee for Public Affairs. According to UCLA political science professor and author, Steven Spiegel, "the tension between the Eisenhower administration and Israeli supporters was so acute that there were rumors (unfounded as it turned out) that the administration would investigate the American Zionist Council. Therefore, an independent lobbying committee was formed, which years later was renamed [AIPAC]." [SPIEGEL, p. 52].[citation needed] Today, AIPAC has over 100,000 members.[1]
Activities and stated goals
AIPAC's stated purpose is to lobby the Congress of the United States on issues and legislation "to ensure that the U.S.-Israel relationship is strong so that both countries can work together" to meet the challenges of "stopping Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, fighting terrorism and achieving peace".[2] It regularly meets with members of Congress and holds events where it can share its views. It also provides analysis of the voting records of U.S. federal representatives and senators with regard to how they voted on legislation related to Israel. AIPAC has been effective in gaining support for Israel among members of Congress and White House administrations.