TEHRAN (Reuters) – Iran said on Sunday it was preparing to remove U.N. seals at some nuclear research and development sites, despite strong Western opposition to its decision to resume atomic research halted over two years ago.
It would be the second time in five months that Iran, which insists its nuclear programme is peaceful, removed some seals put in place by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
European Union and U.S. officials have said the move, which follows Iran’s resumption of uranium processing at its Isfahan plant in August, will jeopardize efforts to find a diplomatic solution to Iran’s atomic ambitions and could accelerate calls for its case to be sent to the U.N. Security Council.
“We will remove the seals and we have announced that we are ready to start research from tomorrow,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi told a weekly news conference.
“It depends on the IAEA to announce its readiness as this will take place under the agency’s supervision,” he added.
A resumption of atomic research and development would mean that all of Iran’s nuclear programme, much of which was put on hold as part of negotiations with the EU that started in late 2003, was active once again apart from the actual enrichment of uranium at its unfinished Natanz facility.
Uranium enrichment is the most sensitive part of the nuclear fuel cycle since it can be used to produce bomb-grade material as well as nuclear reactor fuel.
Iran has not publicly disclosed what activities it plans to resume on Monday. Diplomats and analysts say atomic research and development could involve some laboratory tests of uranium enrichment and the assembly of enrichment centrifuges.
I’m wondering where the Iranians got the education, training, and skills necessary to develop nuclear power. Since 1979 there have been sanctions against Iran and I don’t hear of any Iranian students in our universities. Are Europeans or Russians selling their technology to them; materials and knowledge? In their quest for money have they put the world in danger of nuclear war? The Soviet Union wanted to avoid nuclear war as much as we did but with Islamic fanatics they don’t care. To them, dying in a nuclear war is the same as blowing themselves up, so it’s no big deal for them. They believe their going to get 72 virgins either way.
Hi Bob, that is a great question and I can’t believe no one has posted about it that I know of. I had no idea what the answer was so I went to google and found this………….
http://www.thebulletin.org/article.php?art_ofn=mj04boureston
I love your posts sooo much. Thank you!!!
Iran is also beefing up it’s air defense systems. Signed a contract with Russia to purchase thirty Tor M1 9M330 Air Defense Systems over the next two years. Here’s the details of the Tor M1.
http://www.defense-update.com/products/t/tor.htm
and the Forbes article.
http://www.forbes.com/home/feeds/ap/2005/12/05/ap2369590.html
Iran has a huge inventory of anti-aircraft weapons. Hmm, do ya think that Iran is worried that the west might try to end it’s nuke program.
For example: Israel’s preemtive strike on Iraq’s reactor in 1981, which was finished of by US air strikes in 1991.
And for a good reason, Iran also has a ballistic missle program as well.
http://www.iranwatch.org/wmd/wmd-iranmissileessay.htm
http://www.janes.com/security/international_security/news/jdw/jdw041206_1_n.shtml
As of right now Iran can hit targets in Israel. We should be concerned about Iran’s nuke program, combined with their ballistic missle program will produce a dangerous situation for all of us.
Hi RightToCarry thank you for the links and information.
I asked a friend of mine this afternoon about where are these Iranians studying to learn all this stuff and how to use it and do it and she said the Russians and maybe even some of them have been students here in America too (not sure about America just a guess).
I am extremely concerned about Iran and what they have and the mad man that is their President. Concerned for Israel and for America too. We have got to do something about this big time.
Thank you again for the links and your comments.