Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Gearing Up for Uranium Enrichment
KEY STEP: Iran’s Uranium Conversion Facility in Isfahan reprocesses uranium ore concentrate, known as yellowcake, into uranium hexaflouride gas. The gas is then taken to another site at Natanz and fed into the centrifuges for enrichment.
Los Angeles Times: Iran’s Nuclear Steps Quicken, Diplomats Say
Tehran reportedly is gearing up for uranium enrichment. A split in the Security Council may impede efforts to halt the program.
With efforts to halt its nuclear program at an impasse, Iran is moving faster than expected and is just days from making the first steps toward enriching uranium, said diplomats who have been briefed on the program.
If engineers encounter no major technical problems, Iran could manufacture enough highly enriched uranium to build a bomb within three years, much more quickly than the common estimate of five to 10 years, the diplomats said.
Flap knows Iran is further along than this three year estimate. In fact, since intelligence has been so poor, Iran may be very close to manufacturing a nuclear weapon. Who knows how much enriched uranium they may have purchased on the black market?
Iran has been quick to stall and obfuscate. Naturally, there is a rationale for these tactics.
Iran insists that it is interested only in producing electricity, which requires low-grade enrichment of uranium.
New information about Iran’s program came from diplomats representing countries on the United Nations Security Council. They were briefed by senior staff of the International Atomic Energy Agency, which maintains monitors in Iran. The diplomats spoke on condition of anonymity because the briefing was private.
Even as Iran apparently moves forward, diplomatic efforts to persuade it to halt its nuclear work appeared to be faltering in the face of distrust among powerful Security Council members and disagreements over the best strategy.
Diplomatic efforts are worthless. Look at the machinations at the United Nations Security Council last week.
When the Point of No Return is reached the United States and Israel wll take the appropriate military action and physically destroy Iran’s nuclear program.
Stay tuned…..
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Iran Nuclear Watch: United Nations Security Council Stalled But Diplomats Express Urgency
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The Natanz uranium enrichment complex in Natanz is pictured in this January 2, 2006 satellite image.
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