Iran may have tested nuclear warhead design, secret IAEA report says

and the old man, rather than tell all and sundry for months on end what a fine President that Obama would make, and how Israel needed a President who would not simply support its positions but be a more evenhanded broker, "no more blank cheques for Israel from the US " bla bla bla. "And that situation, I fear, will not improve until 12.01pm, 20 January 2013." MV "The IAEA has been so inconsistent, and so completely wrong, in its assessments of Iranian nuclear weapons progress, that its statements should have no influence and no credibility with anyone or anything." MV IAEA have been "so completely wrong", how exactly. Only you are not very specific, as if expecting no one will ask you to elaborate. Well, why don't you elaborate?

As soon as they have them they will be safe from US adventurers, sub contractors and multi national oil companies. From the US perspective they should not panic at such a development. The Iranian model is a much more modern and civilized method than the Saudi one. Iran wants to use its educated workforce to develop a fully modern industrialized state. Even its proteges in Lebanon have shown themselves adept at adopting pre existing political structures in order to further national development. They will willingly work with opponents for the benefit of Lebanon, as we see with their latest acceptance of a unity government. They are ideologically opposed to Taliban and al Queda. Whereas Saudis are the real progenitors of Islamic radicalism-al Queda-Taliban included. If the US wants progress, it should seek either a nuclear free M East or acquiesce to an Iranian bomb.

If it secret, how come YOU know it?

flag.No George Bush needed just the facts there for all to see. Care to list all the peaceful uses of 2 point implosion technology?? BTW You claimed Yaakov "Jack" Teitel would be released after one week with a pat on the head. Whats your credibility worth to you?

Imagine wasting time answering Lincoln and the others. It is as if in dissuading them there is victory. There is no power there. They have no special insight or real knowledge. They are a window into how the world is fooled into taking the side of those trying to destroy them. Stockholm Syndrome. But their views are tired already. Ignore them completely and they will vanish. That would be victory.

"Iran may have tested . . ." - Haaretz headline May have. Or it might have tested explosive hydroforming or explosive welding - or ALL three. Cipora cannot understand what the difference between an atomic weapons program and studying the technologies necessary is. The concept of 'dual use' is elusive. So is the idea that there are technologies which are public knowledge, have multiple uses, and are part of those range of skills and knowledge which would allow a nation to turn a civil nuclear program into a bomb program in about a year. I have seen NO evidence that Iran has a bomb program. Nor has the IAEA. BOTH the IAEA and I have seen things which could be the development of a a break out capability. Thus I, and the IAEA are worried about that very real possibility, that Iran would be able to break out of the NPT in a year or less. I can be fairly confident there is not an ongoing bomb program and concerned about a breakout capability at the same time. This is not deception.

Christopher Linthwaite, Beverley , East Yorkshire, UK. Born 1980. Frequently posting TB for The Guardian.

Iran is the biggest threat to humanity and the world as we know it. The UN is in denial, as are many who think Iran is peaceloving in relation to nuclear capability. They have hidden evil agendas. Threats made by them are not vacuous. Will Israel save the world, that plucky nation with G-D on its side. For anywhere else one looks in the world there is no strength, no wisdom, no vision. All the silly world does is try and admonish Israel with trumped up charges, fiddling while Iran is racing to build its nuclear capability. Obama, as usual has his head in the clouds, or admiring his image in the mirror.

the real threat is nuclears weapons in the possession of the fanatical terror regime of iran. that threat is real. not long ago, you claimed that iran did not have a nuclear weapons program. now you claim that they are developing thermonuclear weapons. your manipulations fool no one with basic intelligence.

The real threat is that Iran has developed what is called a 'breakout capability." That is the ability to produce nuclear weapons in a matter of months, most certainly in less than a year. Had Iran's primary goal been to produce an atomic bomb, it already could have. It has not. There are certain things which make me think that Iran is also investigating technologies necessary for the development of thermonuclear weapons. But since folks would object to any technical understanding being expressed, perhaps I best just leave that for the eventual 'breathless' revelation in Haaretz. The IAEA is not certain that Iran has in fact investigated two-point implosion. The concept is well known, and the ability to develop it is not in doubt. The important point is this: Iran could have tested a bomb by now. Such a test would instantly end talk of an attack as it did when Korea tested. Iran made reactor fuel for Bushehr instead of Highly Enriched Uranium for a bomb. Fact, not fantasy.

HOW MANY TIMES is the lie that Ahmadinejad threatened to wipe Israel off the map going to be misquoted by the ignorant? Ahmadinejad was QUOTING someone else, and no threat was made against the country ISRAEL it was referring to the ISRAELI REGIME (i.e. government not the country) vanishing from the page of time. The full quote translated directly to English: "The Imam said this regime occupying Jerusalem must vanish from the page of time." Word by word translation: Imam (Khomeini) ghoft (said) een (this) rezhim-e (regime) ishghalgar-e (occupying) qods (Jerusalem) bayad (must) az safheh-ye ruzgar (from page of time) mahv shavad (vanish from). Ahmedinijads speech may have unpleasent connotations but what he actually said and what he was reported to have said are two different things. Twisted by Netanyahu to get your country and mine along with the Americans to declare war on Iran. Well we were suckered by Iraq and it is not going to happen again.

Chris, I think you have some serious unresolved anger issues. You want a total of 80+ million people at minimum to live under the auspicities of Mutually Assured Destruction. I.e. you want them to have no security of their persons, you want them to live in constant fear and terror of a true existential threat. Seriously man, what's wrong with you, I am not mother Teresa, but I'd never wish that on my enemy. Let Alone 80 Million+ souls. And don't retort that Iranians are already living under existential threat, has Israel ever stated a goal to attack Iran? NO, Has Israel ever attacked an Iranian Embassy, or Iranian soil? No. So Don't give me your BS nonsense. Honestly though Chris, if this is how you feel you should see a shrink, or someone that you can let it out to, because there is something wrong with someone who wishes that much harm on that many people who have done nothing to him.

Funny, it seems like the scientific claim made by Mark Lincoln was shown in the movie "The Manhattan Project" starring John Lithgow, back in 1986.

The one track record continues... The world according to Mark Lincoln is "It's always Israel's fault". Iran tries to develop a nuclear weapons program? It's Israel's fault. Iran backs a Syrian nuclear plant with the aid of North Korea . . . Israel's fault. Iran attempts to develop a backup site at a Republican Guards military base... Israel's fault. Iran attempts various weapons systems to develop a nuclear weapon ... Israel's fault. Iran's attempts are exposed... Israel's fault. At some point Mark will open his eyes to the reality that it is Iran that is attempting these actions, and realize that its government is moving down the path of a nuclear weapons program. And of course, its Israel's fault because wary of a nation that calls for its destruction, it seeks to stop such a weapons program... it is Israel, in Mark's eyes, that is the war monger.

of course the un does not care about israel's continued survival. the only remaining question is whether the u.s. president cares.

your self-importance notwithstanding, the information is available on the internet. however, the possibility of translating some theory into actual technology is not at all obvious. iran has been trying for years to have advanced western parts of various nature bought for it by third parties.

Once again Mark, you provide a perfect example to my argument. It is meaningless to discuss whether or not the Iran's pursuit of linear, cylindrical or spherical implosions for nuclear detonation, has an impact on their program. It's a discussion that shouldn't even be held, because its a weapons program issue. Iran, if one would believe their government, is pursuing "peaceful generation of nuclear energy". That there is a discussion about detonation capabilities for various warheads should end speculation that Iran's intentions are peaceful. Your unwillingness to move beyond your calculations to the real world remains consistent if ever erroneous.

The IAEA has been so inconsistent, and so completely wrong, in its assessments of Iranian nuclear weapons progress, that its statements should have no influence and no credibility with anyone or anything. Israel, it is to be hoped, will draw her own conclusions, and take her own actions, based on her right to survive. What help she might expect from the US should not enter her plans, as the US president seems dithering at best and unsympathetic at worst. And that situation, I fear, will not improve until 12.01pm, 20 January 2013. Until then, you may have only yourselves and G-d to protect you. MV

"The Guardian report said that even the existence of two-point implosion nuclear warhead technology is officially secret in both the United States and Britain." - Reuters Which makes the officials look really foolish. We are talking here about a concept that has been around a long time. The US first tested it in 1956 (swan device, Redwing Inca). Nor is the technology necessarily that exotic, see Explosive Hydroforming and Explosive Welding for a lot of insight.

There are no 'secrets' worth mentioning anymore Paul. What was a daunting problem 60 years ago is now. I am typing now on a computer many thousands of times more powerful than used in the calculations for the first hydrogen bombs. There are many inexpensive programs capable of handling the hydrodynamic calculations necessary. The undeniable fact is that ANY nation that wishes to spend the money may design and deploy nuclear weapons. Forty-five years ago China was a backward nation yet it's fourth atomic test involved a missile warhead (DF-2 missile) and it's sixth test was of a weaponized two-stage thermonuclear bomb. In fact Paul, a relatively small developing nation managed to develop it's own nuclear weapons back in the 1960s. Ever hear of John Phillips Aristotle Paul? He was a 15-minute wonder over 30 years ago. . .

C = (r_0/(r_0 - delta))^n Figure it out Jacob. Then start babbling.

"1 border guard killed: compare to cast lead" - jon You have a very limited source of information on the tribal warfare in Yemen. Some Houthi were pushed into Saudi and Saudi has attacked to drive them back into Yemen. The Houthi incursion resulted in the deaths of four women as well, Maryam Shakiri, Fatma Suleimani, Fatma Hazazi and Siham Hazazi all killed in Al-Qarn, apparently by a misguided Saudi missile. Eleven Saudi soldiers were wounded when the Houthi attacked a patrol on the Jabal Dukhan border. This fracas has been going on between several tribes and the Yemeni government for many years. Saudi has become concerned as it has been spilling over into Saudi territory for some time. Folks missed the BIG story out of Yemen recently which was a suicide attack against Korean tourists. The fight is tribal in nature and Iran is supplying some arms and munitions to Houthi tribesmen, it's been going on for decades.

Chris, you wrote "Why should Israel be allowed to have nuclear weapons but Iran not?" Wow, although I fully fully understand that one is not neccessarily better than the other.. are you serious man?? Iran WANTS to fight Israel, they have REPEATEDLY said it.. and IF Israel has nukes, which we all pretty much know they do.. they have PROVEN by now.. not to use them arbitraily... Iran has not... why perpetuate a possible nuclear war by arming the violent... they kill there own people(yestedays rally) for expressing ANY discontent against the supreme ayotollah guy... not saying this is fair.. but THEY/IRAN AGREED to it themselves... not forced.. THEY signed the treaty.. they could back out of it if they wanted.. the NON nuclear proliferation treaty...its there call, but as long as they agreed.. they SHOULD be held to it..dont you agree..??

to download the interview of Christiane Amanpour with Dr. ElBaradei on CNN. Follow carefully the semantics and read between the line4. Dr Elbaradei described carefully the reasons for the Iranian behavior. The axis of the evil is not the way to have a platform with such states. After the Iraq blunder there is a new perception in the most countries. The liars of 2003 make the responsiulbe people very sensible. But see it. Make vour own decision-

Mark--you are just being sarcastic, correct? No, high school students cannot assemble the technology to weaponize and miniaturize a nuclear detonation device for a warhead--and, after all this shifts the argument from the suggestion that neocon warmongers are inventing Iranian weapons-capacity. So, no, this is a unique danger from Tehran's advanced technological resources and, yes, since the Qom facility is not yet operational, Israel has a chance to end the program by concentrating resources on known facilities.

Don't you get it? ElBaradei doesn't give a rat's ass about Israel and in this case he is the UN. Anyone who denies Iran is building a bomb specifically to use on Israel is dilusional.

We're now told, that we shouldn't concern ourselves with Iran's supposed pursuit of nuclear weapons. We're told, they haven't built anything yet. We're told that they're not out to achieve their plans of eliminating Israel (a publically declared goal for over 30 years). We're told that despite the fact that Iran repeatedly has been caught with its hands in the nuclear cookie jar, we should trust its government. We're told that no matter what they do, its hopeless to stop them, so why bother. That's of course when we're being told that any direct attempt to stop Iran's pursuit of weapons is folly, or of course a fantasy. Don't worry, be happy.

If Iran's nuclear program is wholly for peaceful civilian use, why is there any discussion about the design of any nuclear warheads, missle capable or bomb capable? The argument over Iran's actions rest largely on the country's intent. This is more of an issue given the government policy towards Israel, which has been consistently pushing for its elimination since the founding of the Islamic Republic. That Iran is experimenting or even contemplating any nuclear weapon should be a sign of severe concern both for the credibility of its stated 'peaceful use' and ultimate goals. Apparently though, such thought remains part of a 'vast right-wing conspiracy' to Mr. Lincoln.

Iran had prepared a dummy facility for IAEA inspectors only. They should have test the new paint and other signs of fresh construction activity, not isotope traces there. The Qom facility is active for years, so any fresh paint or construction debris indicates the facility is bogus.

"Thursday, Nov. 5, a substantial Saudi armored infantry force and tank column crossed the border into Yemen to do battle with Iran-backed Houthi rebels the day after they killed a Saudi border guard. Saudi air force F-15 and Tornado jets have been bombing Yemeni rebel positions near the border with the southern Saudi Jizan province since Wednesday. The Yemeni Houthi rebels are the second Iranian ally to be attacked after Israel's Cast Lead operation against the Palestinian Hamas in Gaza earlier this year" ... so, let's see, will this go to the UNHRC? Is this response disproportionate? for one border guard? imagine 8000 rockets...

The only military means of stopping Iran from building a bomb if that is it's intent would be conquest and occupation. Israel is having trouble just occupying 6220 sq km and 3.7 million Palestinians. Add the chore of occupying the 1,648,195 sq km area and the over 66 million Iranians and israel would be a bit pressed. Does the idea of the 152 largest nation in the world occupying the 18th largest bring to mind a vision of the minnow which tried to eat the whale?

Countries who have nukes and who have dropped nukes on humans have no place to tell another country to not get nukes. american threatened vietnam and n. korea with the nuke bomb. and the very talk of 'no options are off the table' coming from america and israel suggest that they are willing to use what ever force they have to and they have nuclear force. Israel wont sign the UN agreement but wants the UN to pressure iran on nukes when israel has them but wont disclose that info. if america reduces its stockpile by 75% then that would reduce the worlds stockpile by atleast 60% and would set a good example. but when the usa and israel are continuing to make new nukes this sets the ex. for iran to build a nuke also. israel get rid of your nukes then you might have a case against iran.

... El Bareidi must be 'drunk' with his triple-kisses for Ahmed...

If the existence of two-point implosion nuclear warhead technology is officially secret in both the United States and Britain, Wikipedia does not know about it--it is one of the headings in its web article on nuclear weapon design, complete with color diagrams..

I am becoming weary of El Baradi, I agree it is quite racist to say that because he is Muslim that he will biased to Iran, a Muslim nation. But is it not troubling that we keep finding out about these Secret Reports, this one especially, as nuclear energy, nuclear fissile material weapons grade, and missiles with the capability of nuclear detonation are three seperate things, with personally, the latter being the most troubling of all. I personally would like to see this El Baradai do a better job and possibly have some people from a western nation overseeing him directly, i.e. people I more inclined to trust. This is an issue for Israel, but also and even more so an issue for every citizen of the world. And as such, I think its time citizens of the world demanded more from this UN agency, now, before its too late.

You GO Iran! build your bomb and lie like hell; it worked for Israel, should work for you as well.

It is simple if you want nuclear energy for peaceful purses, buy it, because you don't build missiles and a reactor and centrifuges if you want anything but the bomb.

"baffling them with facts does not work..." And you, the paragon of truth, end your email with supposition and opinion regarding Bibi's intentions - "That`s what Bibi wanted after all, not peace, but violence." Stop being such a hypocrite, if you have facts, state them and draw a conclusion. Otherwise shut up!

Thanks to the IAEA for the reassurance. NOT!

The UK has tested that technology too. Why should the UK be allowed to have nuclear weapons nut North Korea not?. Now you'r accusing Israel for YOUR crimes too? It is you that have lied to the population and went to illegal war killed civilians,and raped their women,and now you are loking for someone to blame for it,as your country has done many times before.

Who do you think will be the next on Iran's list once the Little Satan has been annihilated?

After the endless series of incriminating 'secret reports' published by Israeli sources, why not for once a 'secret report' on something the Israelis know everything about: the Israeli nuclear arsenal.

Or wait until after Iran is attacked to get another loon excuse.

what would be the purpose? How does it take away from the original argument? Hell of a meatl works if that's what you're proposing. elucidate!

the guardian article claimed that there was no civilian use for high explosives triggered within microseconds of each other. The thing is, there is. there is a technique for forming metal, called explosive forming. It uses high explosives to replace the massive hydralic presses normally used to shape complex metal parts. And, for something large, you would need just such a multisource explosive with that tight a timing.

Israel has tested the same technology and Israel dismally fails the requirements of a tolerant pluralistic society, according to a new report from the U.S. State Department. So know even the US is recognising that Israel is no better than Iran, Why should Israel be allowed to have nuclear weapons but Iran not? Besides we heard these lies before in the run up to the Gulf War, and that was so called Israeli intelligence. A case of crying wolf to often I am afraid we don't believe you, and there is not one western politician who will risk his job and go to war with Iran on behalf of Israel. It is over get use to the world of MAD.

and few cities will be wiped out .no kadish will be necesary.

Mark, get a life, get a job and find some friends. With the number of anger-spewing rants and irrational suppositions which you so regularly posit here, it is obvious you have WAY too much time on your hands!

Mark, get a life, get a job and find some friends. With the number of anger-spewing rants and irrational suppositions which you so regularly posit here, it is obvious you have WAY too much time on your hands!

Scenario 1) If Israel doesn't strike: Nuclear Armageddon awaits. Scenario 2) If Israel DOES strike: conventional, biological, and chemical Armageddon results. Hezbollah, Hamas, and possibly Syria itself will be totally unleashed. If Iran directly strikes back, America will be caught in the middle. Only God knows what would happen then. Scenario 3) Miracle.

Same guys (guardian.uk) said that Ahmadijenad was a secret Jew. So much for the credibility.

iran could never have arrived at this stage of nuclear and ballistic missile success without the active help of a number of actors: china and north korea, for sure, a.q. kahn, russia probably, though secretly, certain western countries by ignoring sanctions. all of these parties acted either out of greed-the westerners-but more often out of an urge to defeat the united states once and for all. there is no other motivation for these state actors to help arm the fanatical terror state of iran with nuclear weapons.

this seems like a false flag to me in many ways, it is america and israels "information" that is trying to gear the world for strikes on iran, they know the world wouldn't if there wasn't any proof, but even fake proof will fool the dumb ones into a war, just like us.

we hear nothing from washington about the terrible, horrific rogue terror state of iran. there seems to be a denial of reality. under such circumstances, when a u.s. president ruminates for hours on his marriage while iran is fast becoming a nuclear terror state, one is left stunned.

with one eye!

...since President Obama turned into a pussy in the face of the great Bibi, there's really nothing to do except wait for the escalation of violence. That's what Bibi wanted after all, not peace, but violence.

Mark. You are truly amazing. You really know how to copy articles from several books. If you are truly that clever how come you never have won anything in the field of Phisics. you believe your own lies, next you will say you won the victoria cross

...the U. S. military has long known about the "nationalism" factor in the IDF mindset. The religious fervor that is a little off-putting for mot. What makes me really fearful is that there are more like you, who cannot face the truth. Israel is wrong. Israel needs to bring itself inside of its internationally recognized borders. Before it is too late. It might already be.

As always Mark you are wrong. Israel destroyed Osirak the iraki reactor in 1981, Israel has the means and enough secret agents to stop the atomic work in Iran. you love always to doen Israeli inventive. Iran has the money to buy the best techology from Pakistan or North Korea as Syria did.

This is not surprising and it's the tip of the iceberg. It is beyond the ability of the IAEA to know any more. The talks are pointless smokescreen. The process is irreversible. We are on a countdown to war.

If they have evidence it should be made public

But they'll deploy nukes long before the end of time arrives. What will arrive in the not too distant future is a nuclear war with profound consequences for the entire planet

It is curious that one might be bound by the fact that what was obvious was not part of the public knowledge. And as long as what one might have know is not declassified, or made part of the public knowledge one may not discuss it. And then israel choses to out the facts that one may not discuss. For short-term gain, Israel has revealed the 'secret' to modern ballistic missile warhead design. Enjoy the war Israel. And when, after it ends, Iran still exists, it will build warheads with the knowledge Israel confirmed as true.

Place in the forward portion of this cone a rod of fissile material and put at both ends a cup of explosives very carefully shaped to turn an explosion from the end into an endless shock wave perpetuating down the rod until it meets a like shock wave coming from the other end. Then, the x-rays emitted by the fission of that rod are reflected off the gold-plated high-Z interior of the warhead and are concentrated towards the aft end where they compress a secondary and cause a thermonuclear reaction. I did NOT reveal this process, It was those Israelis who published the story I am responding to who chose to reveal the 'secret' which was no secret. Those who seek to start a war with Iran are totally irresponsible men. And in pursuit of their lust for war, they have revealed the last 'secret' of thermonuclear weapons. I did not, they did.

Does any high school in America lack the ability to design a bomb? Perhaps a few. Does ANY nation in the world lack the ability to pursue an atomic weapons program. The Solomon Islands could not afford it. Is it possible for Israel to prevent Iran from making atomic weapons? Absolutely not.

Had I, as a talkback poster tried to mention the possibility of a two-point implosion system it would have been censored. I know, I gently and obtusely alluded to it once and it was censored. The configuration which fits an implosion primary into the nose cone of a thermonuclear bomb was once a great secret, but now even Israel feels it necessary to out that secret to justify it's coming attack on Iran. But then what are we to make of accusations just a few months ago by Israel that Iran was testing classic implosion schemes?

George Bush claimed. The road to war with Iran is paved with the same lies as the US paved the road to war with Iraq. "The Guardian report said that even the existence of two-point implosion nuclear warhead technology is officially secret in both the United States and Britain." - Reuters Yes, 'officially' though ANYONE who has a clue about the necessary mass and volume of a thermonuclear weapon would be able to analyze the trigonometry of Multiple Reentry Vehicles can comprehend what could be the ONLY possible configuration of a primary. And IF this account is true, then the PREVIOUS accounts of the Iranian 'threat' being a symmetrical spherical bomb design tested by Iran are bull crap. The method of using a two-point implosion of a linear pit allows the ability to store a thermonuclear weapon in the highly cone shaped reentry vehicle favored by all advanced nuclear powers. That reentry vehicle configuration has NEVER been tested by Iran.

Who can trust Iran? The arms ship for Hezbollah, and now testing a nuclear warhead design. Peace is an illusion. Israel should prepare for the worst, and continue to act preemptively, if necessary, to ensure its security. Perhaps secretly arming the Iranian opposition would be a successful strategy, and appropriate, given what the Iranians have been doing with Hezbollah and Hamas?

So much cynicism, and the world is asleep. Perhaps the devil is very awake. It's first trick might be to make us believe it doesn't exist.

Guardian is not a serious newspaper anyways.