IAEA: Iran Enriching Uranium Gas

Atomic Energy Agency Warns Of Swift Advance Of Nation's Nuclear Program

(CBS/AP)  Iran has started enriching small amounts of uranium gas at its underground plant and is already running more than 1,300 of the machines used in the enrichment process, according to an International Atomic Energy Agency document obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press.

The confidential document — a letter to Iranian officials from a senior IAEA staff member — also protests an Iranian decision to prevent agency inspectors to visit the country's heavy water facility that, when built, will produce plutonium. Enriched uranium and plutonium can both be used for the fissile core of nuclear warheads.

Last week, Iran said it had begun operating 3,000 centrifuges at its Natanz facility, nearly 10 times the previously known number. The United States, Britain, France and others criticized the announcement, but experts, and several world powers, expressed skepticism that Iran's claims were true and diplomats in Vienna familiar with the state of the program told the AP they were greatly exaggerated.

Still, the one-page letter reflected a swift advance in the program. A little more than two weeks ago, those diplomats had said Tehran was running only a little more than 600 centrifuges, and had not introduced any uranium gas into them.

The letter, signed by IAEA Deputy Director General Olli Heinonen and dated April 18 said the agency wanted to "take note of the information provided by Iran ... that Iran has put into operation" 1,312 centrifuges, the machines used to spin the gas into enriched uranium.

The letter also cited Iranian information to the agency that "some UF6 is being fed" into the centrifuges, referring to the uranium gas that can be enriched to levels potent enough to be used for nuclear arms.

Iran says it wants to enrich only to lower levels suitable to generate nuclear power. But suspicions about its ultimate intentions, after nearly two decades of nuclear secrecy exposed only four years ago, have led to U.N. Security Council sanctions for its refusal to freeze its enrichment program.

"Regardless of whether the timetable is one year or five, Iran is proceeding to enrich uranium to industrial grade in defiance of U.N. sanctions," said CBS News foreign affairs analyst Pamela Falk, "buying time with each six-month period that the Security Council sanctions allow."

"There is a sense at the U.N., among the permanent members of the Security Council, that something else needs to be done alongside the sanctions to convince Iran to get back to compliance," adds Falk.

It was unclear what the purpose of the uranium gas feed was. A diplomat accredited to the IAEA, who demanded anonymity because he was disclosing confidential information, said the operation appeared to be part of "stress tests" meant see if the machines were running smoothly.

But he and another diplomat said that, even if the operation was not meant to enrich large amounts of uranium, it appeared to be the last step before larger-scale enrichment begins.

Tehran's heavy water enrichment facilities at Arak also are under suspicion, because the plant, once constructed, will produce plutonium, which can also be used in an arms program. Iran argues it needs the plant for medical research, despite a Security Council demand that it also freeze construction at Arak.

When it is completed within the next decade, Arak will produce enough plutonium for two bombs a year.

Iran last month announced it was unilaterally abrogating part of its Safeguards Agreements linked with the IAEA under which Tehran is obligated to report to the agency six months before it introduces nuclear material of any kind into any facility. In his letter, Heinonen suggested that Iran invoked this move in denying his inspectors the right to visit the Arak facility, but argued it was illegal, because such agreements "cannot be modified unilaterally."

Beyond that, Heinonen said, IAEA inspectors should be allowed to visit Arak because the section abrogated by Iran had to do with early provision of design information of new nuclear facilities and "not to the frequency or timing of" agency inspections to verify information on design already provided by Iran.

Ali Ashgar Soltanieh, the chief Iranian delegate to the IAEA, did not specifically answer those concerns but asserted at a public lecture at the University of Vienna that his country had "no obligation to inform the IAEA" beyond the point that it was prepared to do so.

He said Iran cannot except Security Council demands that it suspend enrichment because they represent a "humiliation of the nation." But he said the Islamic republic was ready to negotiate on international concerns about its nuclear ambitions as long as the precondition of an enrichment freeze was dropped.

[tbweb]

Iran is very lucky enough to be sitting on large Oil reserves which generate big money for Iran. Iranians should be getting free gas and not have to pay for it! With that amount of Oil Iran is not even close to an energy crisis! Iranian research should be focused on ways to generate clean power from all that Oil. Irans claim Iran needs nuclear power to generate electricity is like someone who owns 5 cars trying to convince others it needs to own a 6th car because of transportation issues! Iran doesn't need a 6th car or nuclear power! The only practical purpose Iran has for nuclear power is to build nuclear weapons and Iran is using the cover of a civilian nuclear program to build those nuclear weapons!

[toolmangler-2009]

This is known as first strike which Bush proudly announced just about two years ago.

It's no wonder other countries want to make sure they have a formiddable response incase of invasion!
Posted by acauble1 at 03:42 AM : Apr 19, 2007

What on Gods green Earth don't you understand about 'MAD'. There is 'no' justification for any country that doesn't have Nukes to make them. if you don't have Nukes,no one has a 'legitimate' reason to use them on you. Iran, Iraq, Syria, all can win their struggles wth the west by use of diplomacy. You cannot as a human, make a 3000 lb Gorilla sit where you want by force. But if you use a 'system' of varible rewards you can not-only get him to do what you want but he will be 'happy' about it. If you make him angry he will crush you and not worry about it. Nobody can force the USA to 'knuckle-under' especially to terrorism. We are just too BIG and Strong. and with a 'nut' at the controls what do you think will happen?

[tbweb]

Iran is the worlds 4th largest Oil exporter. Iran is already a rich nation because of Oil sales and over inflated Oil prices. Suddenly Iran creates a crisis capturing British Royal Navy Sailors which drove up World Oil prices even higher! Iran knows Oil prices go up with a crisis! Its estimated that because of these new higher Oil prices which Iran is solely responsible for, Iran makes an extra $25 to $37 million U.S. Dollars a day, and this is in addition to the millions Iran is already making a day, new extra millions! The U.N. should investigate Iran and make Iran pay those extra millions in U.N. fines, the U.N. can use the money too. Iran may have even fabricated the crisis for the sole purpose of earning extra money to pay Russia for the nuclear power project! Remember Russia said Iran was late and behind on payments? Suddenly Iran finds a way to come up with new millions by capturing UK Sailors! What a coincidence, a money generating crisis, how convenient! Hmmm, something seems fishy to me! Iran may have pulled a fast one!

[lars008-2009]

Demonstrators display a banner that reads "Solidarity against fascism. We are all Christians" and hold placards that read: "Let's defend living together" during a protest in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, April 18, 2007, following an attract to a publishing house in eastern Turkey.
Turkey Detains 5 In Bible Shootings
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/04/19/world/main2703596.shtml

FASCIST NAZI ISLAM / PERFECT EXAMPLE OF FASCISM!!!

Fascist nazi islam is intent on killing or enslaving all non muslims......

The most notable characteristic of a fascist country is the separation and persecution or denial of equality to a specific segment of the population based upon superficial qualities or belief systems.
Simply stated, a fascist government always has one class of citizens that is considered superior (good) to another (bad) based upon race, creed or origin. It is possible to be both a republic and a fascist state. The preferred class lives in a republic while the oppressed class lives in a fascist state.
http://www.couplescompany.com/Features/Politics/Structure3.htm

[zootallures2]

Not to mention Iran is plagued by Arab terrorists also. The Jews in Iran aren't trying to form an independant state are they?

[zootallures2]

Ronald Reagan and the international community condemed the Israeli raid on the Osirak reactor. Which would have wiped Iran off the map. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is definately in the right on his stance against the west. They installed the Shah, proxied Saddam to invade Iran, and shot down Irainin civilian jet liners. But his stance agaist Israel on the sole basis that they are Jews, is ridiculous and make him look like a jack-a$$.

[pwrslm]

I get the feeling that this web site draws more than its share of bread dead sheeple than most others do.

Just reading the posts these vipers and rumormongoring idiots make is ample proof of that fact.

One would think that if any of this claptrap were true, that congress would appoint a special prosecutor to investigate and prosecute the President. Its never happened. All the gossip in the world will not change that fact.

Sure enought though, soon as they read this, the idiot parade will charge again.

Ok halfwits, post more of your lies, go for it boyz.

[karlimhof]

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, said Wednesday that Israel must be "wiped off the map" - singindick from 27 oct 2005 new article


Sorry dude, wrong again. He said "the zionist regime must be pushed into the sea".

Farsi is a difficult but rich language, but does not contain all our expressions. "Wipe off the map" is one of them.

But it does make for the sought-after impression, and there are enough fools out there to repeat it day after day. Try a little research before "singin'"....

[alexgin]

facistusa

"DO you speak arabic? Do you?

Is that REALLY what Iran's media says?

Death to the strongest nuclear power Country that cound wipe them off the face of the earth??

Let me see... who keeps telling YOU that Iran's Media says that?? Huh??"

What did you learn in school? Iranian speak Farsi they are Persian not Arab they don't speak Arabic!!!!!!

[alexgin]

http://www.deiryassin.org/mas.html#item1

As for remembering the peace lover and peace spreading Israel. Without them and their nukes our world will not see the PEACE again.

Pitiable simple minded people.

[acauble1]

By refusing to adhere to long standing international agreements on the development of nuclear technology, American has opened the door for other nations to do exactly the same. Only chaos can result from this dangerous and mistaken policy.

Posted by neoconRcrazy at 03:14 AM : Apr 19, 2007

You are right 'neoconRcrazy'

The Bush administration had recently "canceled" their latest nuclear proliferation project which was to create bunker-busting smart bombs that has the ability to carry small nuclear warheads.

Nevertheless, those plans, when introduced in 2002, were widely known to the world and drew widespread condemnation. That also prompted Russia to rapidly advance their nuclear arsenal as well. Russia, about a year ago, successfully launched a newly improved sub-launched ICBM called the 'Bolava'. The Bolava is designed to evade any kind of anti-balistic missile system ever developed (including the current POS system the U.S. has in "operation").

Needless to say, countries like Iran, Russia, China and perhaps others, will all feel that the biggest threat to world peace is actually the country that currently has the largest nuclear arsenal in the world, and has a dumbsh*t president more than willing to use it. This is known as first strike which Bush proudly announced just about two years ago.

It's no wonder other countries want to make sure they have a formiddable response incase of invasion!

[neoconrcrazy]

The full and complete blame for this situation with iranian nuclear development can be laid at the door of the United States, particularly at the door of Bushit and his neocons.

They have ignored, downgraded, violated, all aspects of the NPT - claiming "rights" which they forbid others. Like nukes in space, to mention the most obvious.

By refusing to adhere to long standing international agreements on the development of nuclear technology, American has opened the door for other nations to do exactly the same. Only chaos can result from this dangerous and mistaken policy.

[tbweb]

Night folks....

Posted by singinrick at 12:14 AM : Apr 19, 2007

,,,same here!

Night folks....

[tbweb]

I want to make it clear I don't advocate the U.S. attacking Iran. I don't think with the climate in the U.S. the U.S. public has the stomach for attacking Iran, the U.S. public by and large don't even want to continue in Iraq! But with that said it still doen't mean Iran doesn't need to be attacked. Iran is provoking war in every way, and seems to be seeking it out! I don't understand why other nations don't see the Iranian threat to world peace the way the West does. Iran is one of those nations that if it had nuclear weapons and I beleive in some context it does, Iran will use them sooner than other nations would. Iran is on a very short fuse!

[j-whitman]

tbweb,,,, He's alot like Bush isn't he ??? Only without ENRON.... Henry Kissinger told Nixon George HW Bush was an idiot,,, his son W is as smart as a Gold Fish & it's been showing for 6 years....

Much damage has been done to our country & National Security.

[j-whitman]

Good night folks.

[j-whitman]

Rick,,,, You've got a very limited view on Islmic Law, Arafat was a nut bag though..

You are aware that we have no law that allows Bush to violate them as he choses with his signing statments ??? --- That's a violation of our Constitution & the Presidential Oath of Office.

[tbweb]

tbweb,,,, I think the jury is still out on the use of intell to take us to war - Investigations are still in progress.

Posted by j-whitman at 11:46 PM : Apr 18, 2007

--j-whitman

The simple fact is Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is scary by any stretch of the imagination and he seems to enjoy scaring the hell out of everybody! He really is nothing more than a common thug and bully and there is nothing diplomatic about him so why does everyone think being diplomatic will work, he fakes diplomacy and acts likes he's going along for the sole purpose of buying time for his nightmare agenda! Iran is living proof why there should be a separation between Church and State. Religious rule "only" is extremely dangerous!

[j-whitman]

tbweb,,,, I think the jury is still out on the use of intell to take us to war - Investigations are still in progress.

[tbweb]

Rick,,, So far, there is absoultly no intell Iran has a nuclear weapons program,,,, What we do have, 16 intellegence agencies say is "highly argumentive & on a very low scale of reliability.

Then remember back a few years,, Bush was totally ignoring the IAEA..... You can seriously doubt anything coming fromn the White House on the subject.

Posted by j-whitman at 11:39 PM : Apr 18, 2007

--j-whitman

In sticking with only the facts, quoting intelligence sources from anywhere in the world seems shakey at best! Every intelligence source thought incorrectly Iraq had weapons of mass destruction and it didn't! Intelligence sources need to prove themselves again and until then talk to the hand, the face ain't listening!