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Report: Blast at Isfahan damaged nuclear facility
Ynet News ^

Posted on 11/30/2011 4:25:27 AM PST by jhpigott

The Times reported on Wednesday that the mysterious explosion that rocked the city of Isfahan two days ago struck the uranium conversion facility located just outside Iran's third-largest city. According to the British newspaper, satellite images clearly show billowing smoke and destruction, despite Iran's claim that no such blast had taken place.

The Times quoted Israeli intelligence officials as saying there was "no doubt" that the blast struck the nuclear facilities at Isfahan and that it was "no accident."

(Excerpt) Read more at ynetnews.com ...


TOPICS: Breaking News; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: iranexplosion; irannukes; isfahan
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So much for the Iranian denial. Mossad strikes again . . .
1 posted on 11/30/2011 4:25:33 AM PST by jhpigott
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To: MississippiMan; ctdonath2; LibertyRocks; GonzoGOP; b4its2late; bert; maquiladora; hennie pennie; ...

ping


2 posted on 11/30/2011 4:27:33 AM PST by jhpigott (North Korea - The land of lousy options)
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To: jhpigott
Cheers!

3 posted on 11/30/2011 4:33:08 AM PST by TSgt (BEAT OBAMA WITH A CAIN!)
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To: jhpigott
So much for the Iranian denial. Mossad strikes again . . .

Don't you just know that the Iranians are pretty peeved about this. Hehe.
4 posted on 11/30/2011 4:36:48 AM PST by ZX12R (FUBO GTFO 2012 !)
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To: jhpigott

5 posted on 11/30/2011 4:36:52 AM PST by TSgt (BEAT OBAMA WITH A CAIN!)
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To: TSgt

The satellite image shows destruction caused by the 12 November explosion

6 posted on 11/30/2011 4:38:41 AM PST by TSgt (BEAT OBAMA WITH A CAIN!)
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To: jhpigott
I find it provocative that the Iranians are still using uranium hexafluoride and centrifuges to separate isotopes. The US declassified that process in 1954, assuming that on one would ever try to build a nuclear weapon that way again. If true, the Iranians will probably never have a sizable nuclear arsenal, though even on nuclear bomb can ruin your whole day.
7 posted on 11/30/2011 4:43:07 AM PST by Lonesome in Massachussets (Ceterum autem censeo, Obama delenda est.)
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To: TSgt

That 12th Imam better scramble out of that well pretty soon, or there won’t be anything left in Iran to start Armageddon with.


8 posted on 11/30/2011 4:43:07 AM PST by ZX12R (FUBO GTFO 2012 !)
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To: jhpigott

Whether or not MOSSAD was involved, it benefits the Israelis to place as much doubt in the minds of the Iranians as possible. If the Israelis are hinting that they were involved, they probably weren’t, but I suppose the best posture for the Israelis is to behave in the same manner, whether they were involved or not. Keep ‘em guessing.


9 posted on 11/30/2011 4:46:03 AM PST by Lonesome in Massachussets (Ceterum autem censeo, Obama delenda est.)
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To: Lonesome in Massachussets

Gets even better. Harretz’s report says the following -

“This caused damage to the facilities in Isfahan, particularly to the elements we believe were involved in storage of raw materials,” one source told the Sunday Times.
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/report-mysterious-blast-in-iran-s-isfahan-damaged-key-nuclear-site-1.398671

This sounds very intentional coming out at the same time the Israeli MI chief says the Iranians have enough material for 4-5 weapons. Wonder if that is still true after this blast?

I guess that depends on whether the storage area was holding “converted” uranium.


10 posted on 11/30/2011 4:50:24 AM PST by jhpigott (North Korea - The land of lousy options)
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To: Lonesome in Massachussets
I find it provocative that the Iranians are still using uranium hexafluoride and centrifuges to separate isotopes. The US declassified that process in 1954, assuming that on one would ever try to build a nuclear weapon that way again. If true, the Iranians will probably never have a sizable nuclear arsenal, though even on nuclear bomb can ruin your whole day.

It's a lot easier to make a functional bomb from U235 than from Pu239. You can test your bomb geometry and be pretty sure it will work without actually exploding one. The bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima was a U235 device, and the design was tested at full scale for the first time on the day it was used in combat.

Pu239 requires much testing at full scale. Kind of hard to keep it a secret these days.

U235 is a lot harder to make, and a lot more expensive, but you can keep your program under wraps until the day you use it. Especially if the organization that's supposed to be keeping an eye on you is as stupid and feckless as the IAEA. Pu239 is what you want if you are trying to build an arsenal for long-term defense, but everyone will know what you're up to, no way to make excuses for huge flashes and obvious glass-lined craters and mushroom clouds visible from hundreds of miles away.

11 posted on 11/30/2011 5:00:08 AM PST by Steely Tom (Obama goes on long after the thrill of Obama is gone)
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To: jhpigott

Iranian version of a Homer Simpson asleep at the controls is what happened.


12 posted on 11/30/2011 5:02:35 AM PST by Eye of Unk
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To: Steely Tom

The US uses laser chemistry for isotope separation, it’s orders of magnitude cheaper than gaseous diffusion via centrifuges. These guys are going at it Robinson Cursoe style.


13 posted on 11/30/2011 5:06:48 AM PST by Lonesome in Massachussets (Ceterum autem censeo, Obama delenda est.)
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To: jhpigott

-——”So far no report of a major explosion has been heard from any government body in Isfahan,” he was quoted as saying.——

That is likely a true statement. It does not deny the incident, it says there is no government report.

The report is confusing in that is seems to mix an explosion involving uranium conversion with missile explosion.

The comments include a question......”Radioactivity” That is a very good question.

The attack on the British Embassy was made to distract attention from Isfahan. I conclude that if the mad mullahs are hurt bad enough to attack an embassy to divert attention, the incident is bad, very bad. The attack by unknown and unannounced foes must be driving the mullahs crazy


14 posted on 11/30/2011 5:09:12 AM PST by bert (K.E. N.P. +12 ..... Crucifixion is coming)
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To: jhpigott

Who are those guys?


15 posted on 11/30/2011 5:09:33 AM PST by McGruff (Hold the House, retake the Senate.)
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To: bert

Yea. I think it’s safe to say the embassay attack and the IRGC/Isfahan blasts are linked. The mullah regime has got to be a little rattled at the moment.


16 posted on 11/30/2011 5:11:36 AM PST by jhpigott (North Korea - The land of lousy options)
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To: TSgt
Mazeltoff!
17 posted on 11/30/2011 5:22:52 AM PST by SMARTY ("The man who has no inner-life is a slave to his surroundings. "Henri Frederic Amiel)
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To: jhpigott

Somebody sneaking a smoke in the chemical storage shed? Damn those smokers! :)


18 posted on 11/30/2011 5:38:23 AM PST by Mister Da (The mark of a wise man is not what he knows, but what he knows he doesn't know!)
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To: jhpigott

Yippy Ky Yay

Let’s hope the CIA informants whose lives were sacrificed when they were betrayed by loose lips and stupid oversight... have been partly avenged, and this is only a beginning


19 posted on 11/30/2011 5:39:16 AM PST by silverleaf (common sense is not so common- voltaire)
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To: silverleaf

Memo to Dinnerjacket:

Warm greetings, Mo Foe! Whuh-hoppen? Mossad, or did yunz just fart out yer 12th imam?


20 posted on 11/30/2011 5:47:00 AM PST by Lady Lucky
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