IAEA report: Iran has been working toward nuclear bomb since 2003
Report by UN nuclear agency says Tehran continously worked toward a nuclear weapon since 2003; diplomatic source in Vienna tells Haaretz: 'This is the most damning report ever published by the IAEA.'
By Yossi Melman Tags: Iran Iran nuclear IAEAIran has been working toward building a nuclear weapon since 2003, according to a report released by the International Atomic Energy Agency and obtained by Haaretz on Tuesday.
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Parchin military base, about 30 kilometers from Tehran. |
| Photo by: Haaretz |
The report, which was handed over to the 35-member states of the IAEA Board of Governors, details a series of tests, acquisition of materials, and technology that suggests Iran has continuously worked to produce a nuclear weapon since 2003.
A diplomatic source in Vienna told Haaretz that this is "the most damning report ever published by the IAEA and the conclusion arising from it is one: Iran is working to acquire a nuclear weapon."
"The agency has serious concerns regarding possible military dimensions to Iran's nuclear program," the IAEA said in the report, which included a 13-page annex with key technical descriptions of research.
Citing "credible" information, the Vienna-based agency said the data "indicates that Iran has carried out activities relevant to the development of a nuclear explosive device."
It added: "The information also indicates that prior to the end of 2003, these activities took place under a structured program, and that some activities may still be ongoing."
Click here to read the full IAEA report
U.S. spy services estimated in 2007 that Iran had halted outright "weaponization" research four years previously, but also that the Islamic Republic was continuing efforts to master technology usable in nuclear explosives.
The IAEA report included information from both before and after 2003.
It expressed "particular concern" about information provided by two member states that Iran had carried out computer modeling studies linked to nuclear weapons in 2008-09.
"The application of such studies to anything other than a nuclear explosive is unclear to the agency," the IAEA said.
The information also indicated that Iran had built a large explosives vessel at the Parchin military complex southeast of Tehran in which to conduct hydrodynamic experiments, which are "strong indicators of possible weapon development."
For several years the IAEA has been investigating Western intelligence reports indicating that Iran has coordinated efforts to process uranium, test high explosives and revamp a ballistic missile cone to accommodate a nuclear warhead.
Iran, the world's No. 5 oil exporter, insists that its program to enrich uranium is for a future network of nuclear power stations to provide electricity for a rapidly growing population, so that it can export more of its oil and gas.
But Tehran's history of hiding sensitive nuclear activity from the IAEA, continued restrictions on IAEA access and its refusal to suspend enrichment -- which can yield fuel for atom bombs -- have drawn four rounds of UN sanctions, as well as separate punitive steps by the United States and European Union.
IAEA officials have often complained that Iran has refused, for at least three years, to seriously answer the agency's questions about accusations of illicit nuclear activity.
קראו כתבה זו בעברית: דו"ח סבא"א: איראן פועלת לייצר נשק גרעיני
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The IAEA has already made less alarming reports concerning Iran. Now, all of a sudden, as America and Israel are beating the drum for an attack on Iran, the IAEA comes up with a more alarming report which they backdate. The chain of events is obvious. Israel wants Iran's nuclear program destroyed, but Israel lacks the competence to do it. This means that America must step in just as happened to eliminate Saddam. We Americans pay all this money to give Israel a massive amount of military hardware which they use to kill defenceless civilians. Anything more difficult and Israel needs help. If America is going to do all of Israel's heavy lifting, let's save a few bucks on all the wasted high tech weapons we give them.
This has been known for years, but the US and Europe have been pussy footing around for years instead of taking military action. Military action is the only thing that countries like Iran understand. You can not negociate with illetrate crazys like them.
This is bad news that those shia mullahs now have a nuke in their possession and their target will no doubt be Israel. The US with all it's double standards has created a very difficult situation in the Middle-East by allowing those irani fanatics access to nuke technology leading them to boast of their capabilities. This time all parties in the region putting away their differences should side with Israel and tackle the syria, iran, hezbollah "Axis of Evil" before it goes too far. This puts saudi arabia as loser number one in front of iran as the iranis have a weapon or the capability to have one on short notice even after facing sanctions for ages and the saudis with all their wealth and having none. What the arab world does not see is that if a weapon is used on Israel then egypt, jordan, lebanon, syria will be gone along with Israel due to the fallout. Better to act now than never.
the report says too late the horse has bolted
Naughty Iran! why does it want to have the the same toys that innocent israel have!
why three years is there a problem with your deterrent then, look forward to the posts telling us why three years at a cost of thousand of israeli casualties, is so important
There is no turning back now, as based on history, Iran will be yet again another axis of evil to fall by the hand of the good and righteous.
no public view, who suppressed this my money is on a big bear growling barak seems to have gotten himself a commode today
stop this threats against Iran!
I believe its an enriched Uranium not plutonium device. For missiles plutonium is usually preferred, as Uranium ones are too large and heavy. If that's any relief. I would not be too worried for another 7 years.
country should have a nuclear bomb that way there would be no wars because everybody would be fearful of a nuclear bomb being dropped it would just be a cold war and I am ok with that.
Israel has developing nuclear weapons since 1960 decade... For the same reason Iran would must attack Iran.
We won't be fooled again.
why all this hysteria and warmongering?
Israel, due to the alleged microphone gaff, your enemies see a crack they can work on. Beware, you’ve just been tossed to the wolves.
Write some more reports. Iran has been on the verge of having nuclear weapons for decades. Always a year or two years away, depending on what kind of political emergency the leader of Israel is having at the time. When Iran does get nukes, and it probably is just a few years away at this point, what will they do with them? Nuke Tel Aviv? Iran would be turned into a parking lot overnight by the U.S. and Europe. Israel wants tension between Muslim states and the west. That's really the driving factor behind the Iran "threat".
If you don't believe Iran will use nuclear weapons once they have them, you haven't been paying attention. Their leadership has continually called for Israel's destruction. Ahmadinejad pulled every trick in the book, including murder of Iranian citizens in the streets to secue his sham "election" a couple years back. He and others in the leadership are "Twelvers" who wish to hasten the return of the Madhi. For that to happen(in their view), chaos must reign and the region must be washed in blood so the Madhi can return to restore peace. If you have a group like that in charge, why would you dbout anything they wouldn't use every method at their disposal to bring disaster to the region?
So you are willing to bet your life on this? I'm not. We are talking about Islamic maniacs who have a death wish.
Uncomfy question for the Lefties basing their anti-Israel animus on opinion of Iranian agents within the US State Department
despite of getting bashed all the time as a "warmonger". If Iran gets the job done then good bye, ME, Good bye Europe! Its your fault then Mr.Obama, the Sunni countries will never forget!
The only hope the Western Civilised World has regarding Iran will be with Gods help a masive earth quake 9 on Richter scale totaly destroying their nuclear plant .
not every nuclear nation has threatened to wipe another nation of the face of the earth...
Are you so ignorant.........Iran has made it clear they will wipe Israel off the map men ,women, children old and the sick. . That is the difference no country has ever made such a disgusting threat.
why sign NPT?
Iran has threatened to anihilate Israel
Your argument is invalid.
Since Iran, for all we know, has not yet decided to actually build a nuclear device, there is plenty of time for another round of sanctions to bite. My suggestion: The Security Council should decide that any future supply of nuclear fuel to Iranian power/research plants (by Russians as in Bushehr, or others) should be paid for by an equivalent amount of Iranian Uranium, first enriched and then even raw. Iran does not have much Uranium, and is looking around even TODAY for a seller, so this exchange plan will bring an end to their enrichment program. Problem solved.
Israel never signed the NPT therefore, not bound by it ... Iran did sign it, is bound by it but is not honouring it. Suprise, suprise!
Ted doesn't know what the NPT is. He just wants to "score a point" without even addressing the article.
They respond to attacks from their 'neighbours' and periodically are provoked to go further. But they are not threatening anybody who does not threaten them.
Mention just one instance where Israel threatened to use nuclear bombs on any one! You do NOT know what you are saying.
Ed, extract your head out of your bottom. Israel does not call for any countries destruction, or did that tiny insignificant fact escape you, peabrain....
"A diplomatic source " yes right, a source in knesset?
They said in 2007 that Iran had ceased its weapons program. http://www.dni.gov/press_releases/20071203_release.pdf They haven't changed their minds as far as anybody knows. Yossi, do you really think the IAEA has a better intelligence capability than the CIA?
"We know where they (nb : the WMD's) are. They're in the area around Tikrit and Baghdad and east, west, south and north somewhat. " Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld on 30th march 2003 If Israel attacks Iran and starts a war it will cost you dearly in lives and treasure.... and DO NOT expect the USA to pick up the tab as we did in the past, if you start this war you are on your own !
No fooling this time its a been proven. If Isreal attacks it will be disaster, but Iran with a nuclear bomb, and the ability to deliver it would cause devastation.
The known enrichment plants are under IAEA observations and don't produce more than 20% enriched Uranium. You need about 90% enrichment for a bomb. If Iran has some secret enrichment plant, it will not be attacked because its location is unknown. We heard about various computer programs, even one simulating a nuclear explosion. The computer programs were no doubt copied in order to be preserved, so you wouldn't eradicate them by bombs. The steel container suspected for researching high explosives may be for simulating nuke triggers, but if one was built, another will be built underground somewhere else. At this point, the only way to stop Iran from WANTING nukes is to take over Iran, as Bush did to Iraq. It was an idiotic enterprise then, and this one would carry worse consequences. The situation calls for sanctions, not a military attack.
If sanctions were working Iran would not be on the verge of producing its first nuclear weapon. There is time to do this with diplomacy ,but the window of time is closing very fast. Then all talks will have to end.
Surprise surprise!