Iran Nuclear Watch

Iran Nuclear Watch: Russia and Iran Reach “Basic Deal” on Uranium Enrichment

Ahamad Alavi, head of the Astan Qods Razavi museum, holds a sample of enriched uranium during a ceremony to mark Iran’s successful production of enriched uranium in Mashad, 924 km (574 miles) east of Tehran April 11, 2006. Iran’s ambassador to the U.N. nuclear watchdog said on Saturday that Iran had a basic deal to enrich uranium in a joint venture in Russia but said details were still being worked out, Iranian state radio reported.

ASSociated Press: Report: Iran, Russia Reach Enrichment Deal

Iran’s envoy to the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency said Saturday the Islamic republic had reached a “basic deal” with the Kremlin to form a joint uranium enrichment venture on Russian territory, state-run television reported.

Ali Asghar Soltanieh, envoy to the International Atomic Energy Agency, “spoke of a basic agreement between Iran and Russia to set up a joint uranium enrichment firm on Russian soil,” Iranian state television reported.

But, the devil will be in the details.

Will Iran foresake uranium enrichment at Natanz and Isfahan as the United States and Europe have demanded?

Doubtful….

It remained unclear, though, whether Iran would entirely give up enrichment at home, a top demand of the West, or whether the joint venture would complement Iran’s existing enrichment program. Enriched uranium can be used to fuel nuclear reactors that generate electricity or to make atomic bombs.

“Only issues regarding technical, legal and financial matters remain to be resolved which need more deliberation and exchange of views,” the television quoted Soltanieh as saying Saturday in Moscow.

Soltanieh made the comment on the sidelines of an energy conference. Russia and state television gave no details on the deal.

In February, Iran and Russia announced that they had reached a “basic agreement” to establish a joint uranium enrichment venture in Russian, but details were never worked out.

Iran has vowed it would never give up its right under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty to enrich uranium and produce nuclear fuel.

Sooooo… Iran will enrich their uranium secretly in underground bunkers for their nuclear weapons program and allow Russia to build their reactors and supply the fuel for electricity generation.

And Russia will supply Iran the weapons to defend their underground clandestine centrifuges.

PERFECT.

A WIN WIN for Iran and Russia.

Russia is NO FRIEND of the United States and Israel. Putin has turned the former Soviet Union back to its own totalitarian self.

And Russia should no longer be treated as an adversary?

NOT!

The beginnings of a “NEW COLD WAR?”

Stay tuned……

Captain Ed has Russia And Iran Reach Enrichment Agreement 

This agreement, if on the level, could help defuse the tense situation and allow Iran enough nuclear technology for domestic energy purposes while denying them the bomb. That requires a faith in Moscow that long ago should have been abandoned. Three years ago or even two, I might have applauded this development. Now it appears more like a Locarno Treaty — an agreement that binds Iran only to the extent that Iranian capabilities do not currently exceed the limits of the agreement. Absent the key details, it looks more like a dangerous panacea that will Iran to continue its enrichment program relatively unfettered, under the protective wing of the Russian autocracy.

A view of the uranium conversion site at Isfahan, Iran, is seen in this DigitalGlobe satellite image released with notations by the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) on April 16, 2006. New satellite imagery indicate Iran has expanded its uranium conversion site at Isfahan and reinforced its Natanz underground uranium enrichment plant against possible military strikes, a U.S. think tank said. The ISIS said, in an email sent to news media with attached commercial satellite photos, that Iran has built a new tunnel entrance at Isfahan, where uranium is processed into a feed material for enrichment.
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Iran Nuclear Watch: United States – “Embargo Military Sales to Iran”

Iran Nuclear Watch: Russia – “Decision on Iran Must Await IAEA Report”

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Iran Nuclear Watch: Condoleezza Rice – Iran Uranium Enrichment Will Require “Strong Steps” from the United Nations Security Council

Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran to Move to Large-Scale Uranium Enrichment

Iran Nuclear Watch: United States Cannot Confirm Uranium Enrichment Claim

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The Natanz uranium enrichment complex in Natanz is pictured in this January 2, 2006 satellite image.



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