May 12, 2006
Oh look! The IAEA finds more enriched Uranium in Iran. And possibly near the threshold for weapons grade, no less.
"Preliminary analysis by the IAEA showed traces of highly enriched uranium in the (pump) samples," a Western diplomat accredited to the IAEA told Reuters on condition of anonymity.
The uranium traces showed a "very high level of enrichment, close to weapons-grade", the diplomat added. Atomic power plants require only low-grade enriched uranium for fuel.
A diplomat in Vienna, where the IAEA is based, confirmed the new finding but warned against exaggerating its significance: "It's no smoking gun. There could be many explanations. But it increases pressure on Iran to come clean about Lavizan."
Iranian officials declined to comment.
In 2003, the IAEA found traces of highly enriched uranium (HEU) at several sites in Iran, which was also approaching weapons grade. Most HEU is now believed to have come from contamination on second-hand Pakistani equipment.
"Even if it is the same contamination, this is a significant finding because it indicates something was going on at Lavizan," said David Albright, a former U.N. weapons inspector and head of the Institute for Science and International Security think-tank.
He said it raised the question of whether Iran ran a second parallel enrichment program alongside the one it has declared.
The finding will probably also deepen suspicions among Western countries that Iran's military was actively involved in the program for uranium enrichment, a process of purifying uranium for use in nuclear power plants or atomic weapons.
In some freaky Friday situation, we suppose, we were almost willing to give Iran the benefit of the doubt with regards to the documents issued to Time magazine - that the Iranians were willing to submit to serious inspections and cool it on their drive for nuclear status.
But, apparently their Manhattan project is steaming ahead at full steam.
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