Report: Iran building additional secret nuclear enrichment facility
Iranian opposition group presents satellite footage allegedly proving existence of secret facility in Abyek, 120 kilometers northwest of Tehran.
By Reuters Tags: Iran Iran nuclearAn Iranian dissident group said on Thursday it had evidence of a new secret underground atomic site in Iran, but U.S. officials said they have known about the facility for years and have no reason to believe it is nuclear.
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A reactor at the Bushehr nuclear power plant in Iran on August 21, 2010. |
| Photo by: AP |
The dissident group said the information came from a network of sources inside Iran affiliated with the exiled opposition group the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) and the People's Mujahideen Organization of Iran (PMOI), a guerrilla movement opposed to the Iranian government.
While the NCRI in 2002 exposed Iran's uranium enrichment facility at Natanz and a heavy water facility at Arak, analysts say it has a mixed track record and a clear political agenda.
The group said the newly discovered site was intended as a facility to enrich uranium deep under a mountain near Qazvin, about 75 miles (120 km) west of Tehran, and was about 85 percent complete.
"This is certainly part of the secret weapons program. This has no peaceful intentions whatsoever," said Alireza Jafarzadeh, a former NCRI official.
The group had satellite photographs which appeared to show increasing construction activity in the area, which lies close to an existing Iranian army garrison.
But they presented no hard evidence to support the assertion that the site included a network of underground chambers designed to hold centrifuges to enrich nuclear material in violation of United Nations sanctions.
U.S. officials reacted cautiously, noting that the NCRI had made similar claims in the past. One official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the United States already knew about the Qazvin facility.
"This facility has been under construction for years, and we've known about it for years. While there's still some ambiguity about its ultimate purpose -- not unusual for something that's still taking shape -- there's no reason at this point to think it's nuclear," the official said.
"The Iranians put military stuff in tunnels, too. People should be cautious about reaching conclusions here."
David Albright, head of the Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security, noted that the NCRI's previous assertions have sometimes turned out to be "unsubstantiated, exaggerated, or wrong."
But he nevertheless urged the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to invoke its right to demand a special inspection of the Qazvin site to test Tehran's willingness to provide more information about its nuclear program.
Diplomats with knowledge of the IAEA's Iran file said the agency received information from many sources and had to evaluate each for credibility.
"Before any assessment can be done, more facts are needed," said one source based in Vienna.
Code name "311"
The IAEA for years has been investigating Western intelligence reports indicating Iran has coordinated efforts to process uranium, stage missile tests and revamp a ballistic missile cone in a way suitable for a warhead.
Uranium enrichment can produce fuel for nuclear power plants or, if taken to a higher level, for atomic bombs.
Tehran says the intelligence is forged and its nuclear program is purely for peaceful purposes.
But Iran's record of secrecy has stoked suspicions, heightened by the February launch of higher-grade uranium enrichment of 20 percent fissile purity, bringing it closer to weapons-grade material.
Iran said in November that it had plans to build 10 more nuclear sites, but has provided little additional information.
The NCRI said the top-secret facility near Qazvin is run by Iran's Ministry of Defense and was launched in early 2005. It said the site is code named "311" and is supervised of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh-Mahabadi, who is already subject to U.N. sanctions because of his work on suspected nuclear weapons development.
Jafarzadeh said the group had determined that the site has three large underground halls, which he said were intended to house centrifuges, although there was no evidence that any had yet been installed.
He said its position, about 100 meters below the mountain, was intended to shield it from possible air strikes and to prevent detection of radioactive emission.
Jafarzadeh said the new information should buttress calls by the PMOI to be removed from the official U.S. list of terrorist organizations -- something the State Department has been reluctant to do.
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Suddenly a "secret" nuclear site appears in Tehran.And better still, it's from a dissident group struggling so hard for recognition from the US and on its last leg in Iraq with "satellite" pictures.How they got that is just beyond me (Maybe google map?? or fed by the all knowing hand,MOSSCIAD). I'll tell you another "secret" - there's one nuclear site in DIMONA and other places dotted all over Israel. Google map it.To be honest,if Haaretz has nothing to report just don't.I'm sick and tired of all this Iran nuclear program boogey stories.It's almost become an obsession for the western media..Enough already!
I like PMOI because they have trying for freedom in iran and there information are 100% exactly always. Islamic regime enemy of Iranians and the world civilisation.
the guy who has the biggest... Israel has it so Iran can have it... Israel hasn't signed the NPT and in this case she doesn't have to comply to IAEA. Iran has signed it then why barring inspectors ? What does Iran have to hide? Israel has never threatened to annihilate any UN country. Ahmadinejad and his puppets are loud and clear ... they want to annihilate the "Zionist regime" and the Jews with it... Denmark is not what it used to be...
Let's check with Dumbya Bush.
No other country has suffered from the Islamic regime of mullahs and thugs as much as Iran. Keep that in mind! The ruling bandits in Iran are from the most degenerate layer of society armed with the most noxious reading of an already noxious religion. Somehow or other they must be eliminated, preferably at the hands of Iranians. If it comes down to attacking sites of interest in Iran by the US, they must make sure the thuggish Guards and Basij are wiped out, and coordinate beforehand with opposition and nationalist elements in the armed forces.
what i have seen is that our so called leader have a direct line to God when it comes to wackos. i Guess you have been watching them with your blind eye. this tells me exactly what kind of person you are. and to me thats an enemy to the world. there are thousands out there trying to save your arse, and you call them terrorists. but when it comes time you will be thanking them. for they do not only fight for their own but for all fo humanity. mind ya the Bible tells us that a 1/3 of the world population will be destroyed. you better hope your not in that range.
You should know exactly where it is - in North Korea! Duhh..
I still remeber the Iraqi dissident group that said Saddam had a bomb. Several hundreds of thousands of dead later... and still no bomb. Now they want us to believe it all over again. How dumb and gullible do they think we are? (Don't answer that!)
I have learned what I may not say. I cannot state that Haaretz agrees about the MEK. "The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) and the People's Mujahideen Organization of Iran (PMOI), a guerrilla movement opposed to the Iranian government." Is mot someone can state on Haaretz, much less that the MEK (aka) nd the People's Mujahideen Organization of Iran, Is in fact an organization deemed 'terrorist' by the US State Department.
Every week or two, there are implications from Israel or America that they are still considering a sneak attack on Iran. Not only is this unacceptable to Iran, it would be unacceptable to any nation. A few nuclear weapons of their own will stifle this talk of attacking Iran.
Because Iran is the only nation threatening to wipe a fellow nation off the map. Did you miss those little threats?
Well, the (non) secret is out. Iran has (non) secret nuclear aspirations, and their (non) secret intention is to use them against Israel. I am nonplussed!
if there were a marraige between marxism and rightist-islamism, this group made it true. If you ask any Iranian anywhere in the world, they would tell you how hated and looked-down upon this group is. This is the same goup that sponsored assassinations around the globe going back to the 60's and 70's (including Americans). They believe in utilizing all means including and specifically violent means, to seek their objective. It is the same hated group that fought AGAINST the iranians alongside saddam in the 80's war. They have no place in present and more importantly, in the future of Iran. Their betrayal is nothing new to any Iranian and only the naive and gullible don't know that they are on both US and European list of terrorist organizations. They can squeal all they want but we know them and don't care for them and neither is any of us willing to give an inch of space to any single one of them in anything relating to Iran. Keep on dreaming mujahedeen, you are nothing but the sum of khas-o-khashaak.....
Yes, or No, or don't know? We don't like each other, Kitty, but I trust your knowledge of Iran....so,.... please.....
Which was supported by Saddam Hussein and protected by the Bush administration despite it being listed as a terrorist organization by the State Department. The MEK has a long history of 'revelations' about Iran which have not stood up to scrutiny.
I was listening to Foxnews/Charles Krauthammer, and he didn't mention any of this... in fact, I had a impression that the Iranians were already making a-bombs in that underground base. Good job, Haarety.com
There is nothing in the NPT that requires Iran to disclose future nuclear sites while they are still just digging caves or building buildings. Iran is only required to disclose when they start using them. Since Iran has announced they will be building multiple civilian reactors and multiple processing sites, I'm sure there are (or will soon be) many, many more sites just like this. All of these sites will be 100% in accordance with the NPT. If Israel doesn't like Iran following the current NPT, Israel can SIGN the NPT and submit amendments to the NPT. Otherwise, Israel has absolutely nothing to say about sites like these that are in 100% compliance with the NPT.
does the Israeli otherwise credible press including the Haaretz can't stop themselves every time the spokesperson for this terrorist group says something that is well known by the ones whose job is to know such things?
Secretary Gates in front of UN General Assembly with laser pointer on the screen ,...
The same crap that neo-con-artists fed us with before invading Iraq ,...
its called: Negev desert.
hope the people who have leaked this information are safe from being kipnapped by the regime, smuggled back to Iran and sentenced to years in prison for telling the truth. Like Vanunu
Really secret is what we don't know.
Boom
The IAEA has been given the coordinates. The IAEA can force Iran to allow inspectors in, or suffer the consequences. We must note that the last 'great revelation' of the MEK came when it fed the hand which fed it, and produced false, yet desired, intelligence The 'Dissident Group' is one which not even the USA considers credible, and one which IAEA Inspectors have proven wrong times before.
don't give a damn
So the opposition is better organized than the government of Iran since they have their own satellite footage. I wonder where they got that from? Does this sound like a propaganda or what?
Come-on. Do Iranian opposition groups really have access to satellite footage? CIA or Mossad have but surely not the political arm of MEK [Mujahedeen-e Khalq]. Rather desperate way of making propaganda. This like what happened before the Iraq war, when the "opposition" gave "evidence".
As Israel has them. Iran wants them. So let them. I am not a support of Iran of Ahmedj, but if we want a nuclear free Middle-East, then Israel’s weapons will have to go.
Yes, Iran will obtain nuclear weapons, even if the mullahs are overthrown. Having spent about a quarter of the nations GDP on obtaining credible nuclear weapons capability, do you really think any Iranian regime would simply throw it all in the trash? Israel has illegally nuclear weapons, so Iran has also right to have nuclear arms to stop Israel.
Can you give us any occasion when Israel threaten anybody with their nukes? You call Israeli's nuclear weapons illegal, but carefully avoiding the same definition for Iran's. Why? You also have intesting justification for keeping these nukes: Iran spent a lot of money for it so they cannot throw in the trash. Don't you think 1/4 of nations GDP would do better at some social programs instead of nukes?
"You call Israeli's nuclear weapons illegal, but carefully avoiding the same definition for Iran's." Exactly what nuclear weapons does Iran have,oh, thats right, they don't
Iran has signed the NPT and Additional Protocols. Thus it has sworn off posession of Nuclear Weapons.
The world appears to have fallen down Alice's rabbit hole. It's priorities are upside down and backwards. As Iran bold facely continues it's nuclear ambitions, and makes absolutely NO qualms about wishing to eliminate Israel from the face of the earth, we all sit back and quietly wait.... But because some attention seeking person threatens to burn a Quaran, we do our very best 'ass kissing' to try and avert WW3!!! Nutty World!!!
A well propagated and propagandized lie. What was said is the regime must disappear.
irans intentions... if the purpose of the nuclear facilities is solely peaceful, why keep secrets, why choose which IAEA inspectors are allowed to inspect, why only allow them to see certain parts of the facilities, why the apparent desperation of a nation trying to make a quick bomb to take it a tier up... purely circumstantial but comeon,,,,
When israel get forced to join the N.P.T and the inspectors decided to come for a visit...I Am SURE the israelis are going to say WHY you??? you don't want you in here.
All countries and governments have secrets. It does not mean that they are all hiding a secret nuclear weapons capability. Oh. . . Israel allows inspection of all it's military sites . . .
the nuke for the last 40 years. No Arab country felt under an existential threat with Israel having the nuke. Explain that to me Marcus...
Don't be the president responsible for an apocalypse. You'll be accountable in the history and remembered as the US Chamberlain.
obama open your eyes, do something.
They will manufacture tens or hundreds of nuclear bombs....How many do you think are needed for Israel? All that?
Maybe Iran, IF (keyword: *IF*) it is indeed seeking nuclear weapons, it does not intend to use them on anyone and have them for the same reason most superpowers have them. Deterrence. Not like it matters. Nearly all analysts agree that Iran will not have a bomb till roughly 2014-2015 if they are indeed seeking one. Ahmadinejad's term will be up by then, and he won't go for a 3rd term. Fraud or no fraud. So all this worrying is pointless, since I doubt his sucessor will be like him. Even Ahmadinejad would not try to use nukes on Israel. It could destroy Jerusalem which all Muslims cherish and harm Palestinians too. Stop and think. Don't let the words of a government(s) become your own. Salaam. Shalom. Peace be upon you all.
What are Israel planning to do with all their weapons?
.... if we have them, against those who are about to kill us with nuclear bombs, totally, to the last woman and child, as promised already by Ahmadinejad and his boss. The declarations that came from them over the last couple of years are absolutely extraordinary, Otherwise, we do not recognize that we have any such weapons, so how could we possibly use them? Our friend America is probably the only country that knows more than you and me.....
Iran you can carry on even though "told reporters that the information about the site was shared this week with the U.S. government "-The USA is led by a naive President who is always at the wrong place at the wrong time saying and thinking the wrong things .
This a SLAP on the face of USA and the West who gives millions of dollars and weapons to Lebanon who will now soon become a PROXY of the Axis of Evil. Think again and open your eyes O USA and the West. Ahmadinnerjacket is making a mockery of your arms and financial support to Lebanon.
Iran announced about 6 months ago that they were building 10 new sites. So 9 to go. It seems a bit fishy that the NCRI would have a spy satellite at its disposal. Or that the CIA or Israels intelligence hasn't picked up an installation that's 5 years old.
Relax people…Iran will be a veritable glass factory IF they ever use one of those things…
gathering data over the course of several years no less! Wonder where did they get that?
have satellites, submarines, complete intelligence agencies, etc. ;<) But their real "asset" is a press that is more than willing to regurgitate their gossips because it SELLS. Look, even you and I read this piece.
and push them into another war in the middle-east.
to do. And the WORLD sits on their hands? What iran needs is a SWIFT Kick in the Ass, to be knocked down a couple peggs, TO KNOW their place in the world !!! What would you really expect from manglomaniac's?
Folks, Iran will get their bomb, need to act asap
The US already overthrew Iran's democratically elected government once to impose the murderous Shah so the US and Britain could tap Iran's oil wealth, so Iran is justified in looking for a deterrent to further Western aggression, especially in light of the US invasion and occupation of Iran's neighbors of Iraq and Afghanistan. Its not like Iran has a history of attacking or invading western countries, in fact it has never once attacked anyone, while Western nations have been invading and occupying ME countries for decades due to their lust for oil profits. Perhaps the US should tap its own offshore oil or build its own nuclear plants to reduce its dependence on oil....who knows it may for once keep its nose out of the business of other sovereign countries.
Sanction lovers must be so happy Obama's President. Under Bush (after so many blunders of historic proportions), any talks of isolating Iran was impossible. The reputation the US has gained under Obama is incredible when compared to the snake pit they were stuck in until 2009. Yet, Obama's playing some old "either you're with us or with the terrorists" game. The difference is in the tone of the message. Yet, Obama still does not get that the US is very much responsible for the Middle East's instability and religious fanatic explosion since 1990... Without such an understanding, the US will not be capable to make Iran contempt... With or without sanctions, Iran will get to where it wants - Parity with Israel on strategic terms...