Highly Enriched Uranium Found at Iranian Plant

NY Times' Terrorist Tip Sheet ^ | September 1, 2006 | ELAINE SCIOLINO

[neverdem]

VIENNA, Aug. 31 — The global nuclear monitoring agency deepened suspicions on Thursday about Iran’s nuclear program, reporting that inspectors had discovered new traces of highly enriched uranium at an Iranian facility.

Inspectors have found such uranium, which at extreme enrichment levels can fuel bombs, twice in the past. The International Atomic Energy Agency concluded that at least some of those samples came from contaminated equipment that Iran had obtained from Pakistan.

But in this case, the nuclear fingerprint of the particles did not match the other samples, an official familiar with the inspections said, raising questions about their origin.

In a six-page report to the United Nations Security Council on Thursday, the agency withheld judgment about where the material came from and whether it could be linked to a secret nuclear program.

Iran says that its nuclear program is intended only for the production of energy, which would use uranium enriched at far lower levels than the sample described in the report.

As expected, the report confirmed that Iran had continued producing enriched uranium, but only on a small scale and at relatively low levels, at its vast Natanz facility.

Thursday was the deadline set by the Security Council for Iran to freeze its enrichment-related activities. Iran’s failure to comply means that it is vulnerable to further punitive action, perhaps economic and political penalties, either by the entire Council or a smaller group of countries led by the United States.

In a speech at the American Legion national convention in Salt Lake City, President Bush ratcheted up his warning to the Iranian leadership, saying that the war in Lebanon and Iran’s support for Hezbollah “made it clearer than ever that the world now faces a grave threat from the radical regime in Iran.”

He concluded by saying that while...

[GOP_1900AD]

Well I'll be ....

[Westlander]

So Kofi is going to send them a naughty letter, if he even does that.

[endthematrix]

"could be linked to a secret nuclear program"

Oh PULEEZE everybody knows. Whats secret about the fact Iran is playing with sophisticated isotopes? They are publicly defying the UN - it's not secret at all.

[glorgau]

Iran talking about peaceful nuclear development has about the same truth value as Bill Clinton talking about not having sex with "that woman" Miss Lewinsky.

[Rembrandt_fan]

"Deepened suspicions"?

Please. To say that the Iranians are engaged in 'suspicious activities' is a ridiculous, euphemistic understatement. The only reason various international regulatory agencies won't make anything remotely resembling an emphatic 'yes, of course the Iranians are building a bomb' is because of their loathing of President Bush. Such an incredibly shortsighted, foolish dancing around the facts practically guarantees a radioactive Middle East.

By comparison, the candor of the Iranian president is refreshing in a weirdly scary, diabolical way. When he promises to wipe Israel off the map, at least we know he isn't engaging in hyperbole or employing euphemisms. He means what he says.

[Rameumptom]

...enriched uranium, but only on a small scale and at relatively low levels, at its vast Natanz facility.

Oh Ok its not so bad... Wait.... How much do you need for a bomb? /sarc

Spin alert, Some liberal practicing his writing skills from Journalism school. Small and low contrasted to the VAST facility so we won't think its so bad.

[freeangel]

I thought iran had not been letting inspectors in.