Report: Iran seeking to smuggle purified uranium
Iran again rejects UN deadline, nears $450 million deal to secretly import uranium from Kazakhstan.
By The Associated Press Tags: UN Security Council Israel newsIran is close to clinching a deal to clandestinely import 1,350 tons of purified uranium ore from Kazakhstan, according to an intelligence report obtained by the Associated Press on Tuesday.
Such imports are banned by the UN Security Council, and diplomats said the assessment was heightening international concern about Tehran's nuclear activities.
Such a purified uranium ore deal would be significant because Tehran appears to be running out of the material, which it needs to feed its uranium enrichment program.
A summary of the report obtained by the Associated Press on Tuesday said the deal could be completed within weeks. It said Tehran was willing to pay $450 million, or close to 315 million euros, for the shipment.
The report was drawn up by a member nation of the International Atomic energy agency and provided to the AP on condition that the country not be identified because of the confidential nature of the information.
Iran is under three sets of UN Security Council sanctions for refusing to freeze its enrichment program and related activities that could be used to make nuclear weapons.
Tehran denies such aspirations, saying it wants to enrich only to fuel an envisaged network of power reactors.
A senior UN official said the agency was aware of the intelligence report's assessment but could not yet draw conclusions. He demanded anonymity for discussing confidential information.
A Western diplomat from a member of the IAEA's 35-nation board said the report was causing concern among countries that have seen it and generating intelligence chatter. The diplomat also requested anonymity for discussing intelligence information.
The price is high because of the secret nature of the deal and due to Iran's commitment to keep secret the elements supplying the material, said the summary.
An official of the country that drew up the report said elements referred to state employees acting on their own without approval of the Kazakh government.
After-hours calls put in to offices of Kazatomprom, the Kazak state uranium company, in Kazakhstan and Moscow, were not answered Tuesday. Iranian nuclear officials also did not pick up their telephones.
Purified ore, or uranium oxide, is processed into a uranium gas, which is then spun and re-spun to varying degrees of enrichment. Low enriched uranium is used for nuclear fuel, and upper-end high enriched uranium for nuclear weapons.
Iran rejects world powers' deadline
Meanwhile, Iran again rejected a deadline for the end of this year set by the world powers on a uranium enrichment deal.
"Actually we have a deadline and our deadline is that if no proper response is received [from the world powers] on the deal, then we will go on with further uranium enrichment for our Tehran medical reactor," Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki told reporters.
The United States and the four other permanent members of the United Nations Security Council - Britain, China, France and Russia - as well as Germany, have threatened Iran with new punitive measures if it did not accept a compromise deal by the end of this year.
According to a plan brokered in October by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Iran's low enriched uranium was to be exported to Russia and France for further enrichment of up to 20 percent and processing into fuel for the Tehran reactor.
"We can no longer wait and if they do not agree with the purchase or exchange, then we will do the 20 percent enrichment process by ourselves," Mottaki said.
Uranium, enriched to a higher degree of up to 90 per cent, can be used to make nuclear weapons. The West fears that Iran is pursuing a clandestine nuclear weapons programme under the guise of its civilian activities.
Mottaki reiterated that Tehran would be ready to either buy the processed uranium, produce it itself or exchange it in several phases on Iranian soil as a guarantee that the deal was valid.
The world powers and the IAEA have rejected the swap being made in Iran.
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I do not know what one's nogging is but I do believe in common sense. And common sense gives me two questions on your post. 1. Is it worse to violate a treaty one signed then not signing at all, become nuclear in secret and then adopt a childish policy of not saying yes or no, as Israel did? 2. Now that Israel already is a nuclear power, does it not make more sense to assume Iran is striving for MAD (levelled playing field) instead of 'hemispheric hegemony'? After all, they can not use it against Israel since Israel can hit them back with a far better stick (hundreds of superior aircraft and much more nukes then Iran will have, if Iran succeeds). It still puzzles me where your unreasonable and almost fanatic hate for Iran comes from (and do not forget an Israeli attack will save the mollah regime). You know the value of looking at history and history shows very clearly that Iran have a lot of reasons to go for safety and security in the form of nuclear deterrent.
http://wp.me/pDB7k-mo Obama and the IAEA have actually been working towards Iran procuring their uranium from Kazakhstan for months. It's not a secret and it's not highly enriched. The real question is: Why do the propagandists want to scare you? Will there be any retractions from any of the warmongering news sites, or Haaretz or just quickly move it out of sight now that the work has been done?
These types of deals are rarely kept secret. Iran has been enriching uranium for a number of years. So covert is the nuclear weapons program, that one must therefore discount said purchase and rather look more carefully as to what assets on the ground are reporting. Iran is not about to be caught up with buying purified uranium on the open market. Iran has the cash, many countries have the goods and are ready to sell, however, the AP or any other news media will not be informed, less so the Intelligence Community. Iran has a masters degree on covert operations. Good day and Happy New Year from snowy Swiss Alps.
in a strange way, this transaction may even be legal. Any country who is a signatory to the NNPT is allow to purchase uranium on the open market.
the yellowcake from Iraq was shipped to Canada for safe storage. Please do keep up.
In the west and in the USA, if you threaten somebody, you go in prison for long time, there is no joke in that. Iranian official have said numerous times before the world, they will erase Israel from the surface of the earth, they will humiliate Israel, they will conquer Israel. They denied the existance of Holocaust, they supported Hezbulla, Hamas, they use Syrian intellegence as proxy to support terrorist bombing in Iraq to stop a rising democracy next door. Iraq had 100s of mass graves that is a better reason to save Iraqi people from the Dictator. These days Iran's regime is proving it is worse than Saddam. Iran is spending most of its oil revenue of Military establishment and capability to face USA and control the Arabian Gulf and Middle East and spread of their Faith between the other sunni Muslims. Unemployement is at its higher in Iran. Check Iran's location on maps.google.com.
Iran's ore contains too much Molybdenum to be be easily turned into 20% enriched reactor fuel. There are a number of processes that can remove Moly during the process of refining Uranium ore, but they are not capable of removing it all. Molybdenum Hexaflouride centrifuges just as well as Uranium Hexaflouride, but because of it's weight difference it enriches much faster than U235. Moly also builds up in the centrifuges and other equipment requiring frequent cleaning and appears to be a major reason for the large down-time of the Iranian cascades and subsequent lousy Separative Work Unit achieved by the IR-1 centrifuges used so far. The 900 pound gorilla in the room that everyone wants to ignore is how far behind schedule the whole Iranian program is. While the rabid right wants folks to see Iran as 10 feet tall, 10 inches is closer to the truth. They have done competent work under many liabilities, but are far from the capabilities touted by Ahmadinejad and the extreme right.
The Uranium ore deposits being mined in Iran have high Molybdenum content. This limits the ability of Iran to enrich it's Uranium to meet ASTM Standard C1462-06 required to fuel the Tehran Research Reactor. This standard requires less than 100 ppm of Molybdenum. Iran is able to enrich to the ASTM C753-04 standard required for the Light Water Power Reactor being built at Bushehr. (250 ppm Mo) Iran is still trying to get around having to kow-tow to the IAEA and UN in order to refuel the TRR.
Iran and nukes has always been about balance of power in the ME. USA can't afford to get too involved- not with what's happening in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Hell, most Americans can't afford to see a doctor. I don't think Jews in the Middle East or Europeans realize this.
USA has long term plans for Middle East, listen to 10s of Iraqi TV Channels. Iraq has signed many strategic allience aggreements with the US, most of iraqi military,police and government official are learning/talking English, english is becomes the second language in Iraq, 100s of newspapers,magezines,10s of new airports, 100s of new shopping Malls, hundreds of new Hotels, new democracy in the middle of the Middle East. Government is in full speed in Moderanizing the country, schools, Universities and government. agriculture, industry and military.The people never been happier. Iraqis have the latest Cellphone that they never used before 2003.
If it is a secret how come you know it? Because it is the product of your myth fabricating agency???
'Iran is a sovereign country and can do whatever they want.' Sovereign nations have both rights *and* responsibilities. Violating international treaties - particularly the NPT, which Iran is doing - shows Iran is an international scofflaw. Worse yet, it's clear Iran is bent on a nuclear weapons development programme, married to long-range delivery systems. Iran is reaching toward regional and even hemispheric hegemony - through the intimidation of its neighbours and the incineration of its foes - starting with Israel. Use your noggin. This isn't the kind of world any nation has the sovereign right to create. MV
JJ--although sovereign Iran's leadership are not permitted to secretly engage in high-level uranium enrichment within non-proliferation safeguard protocols it has signed onto. That said, nobody seems inclined to really enforce those protocols so, from Iran's viewpoint, it really isn't much of a big deal. So what? This is something another sovereign nation, Israel, will have to figure out.
Nice article. Somewhat similar to previous articles on the subject, where Iraq supposedly possessed WMD, Iran is seeking to develop nuclear weaponry, and the moon is made of cheese!
While Iran poses a clear and present danger I remain hopefull that the world will not be inundated with ficticious intelligence reports such as before the Iraq War. Non sourced press reports such as this one are counter productive.
I don't think Israel is clean on this matter, either. In order to purchase uranium on the open market legally, one has to be a signatory of the NNPT. Australia and Canada will not sell uranium to a non-signatory country. And Israel is not a signatory to the NNPT. How does Israel obtain its uranium to fuel its Dimona nuclear reactor(legally that is)???
Iran it having trouble refining it own uranium ore, due to its poorer quality but given time they could do it. It is much quicker and easier to just buy it from other countries. Iran's nuclear threat has been made bigger than it currently is, Pakistan is a much bigger problem right now or even N. Korea. The ex-Soviet countries could be more dangerous in the long run than Iran, since they already have ability to make nukes and uranium/plutonium to do so. This is more about balance of power in ME than terrorists getting nukes.
OBAMA: UNDERSTAND !!! YOU CAN'T TALK ONLY, YOU MUST ACT TOO. As for Kazatomprom and Khazakstan, there should be deadlines and sanctions based on UNSC Res. too. Stop stalling, stop cowardice, stop undecisiveness.
There is a big difference now: The "Neo-crazies" are not running the show - at least not completely. It is hard to use these old tricks (I hope I am right!)
How? by train? A convoy of trucks? Can't use ship, Kazackstan is landlocked. The tonage might be overstated, but the desire is correct, and JJ, Israel can also do what it wants, including bombing the train or convoy. That will solve the problem of not being able to bomb the bunker bomb-proof refinery; don't let them get the raw materials and Kazackstan can send suicide donkey carts with TNT and nails in retaliation.
... where are the reactors, the grid modifications, and other infrastructure that supports the concept of "just electricity"? There is exactly zero evidence of the cover story.
So what. Israel has nuclear weapons (thanks Vanunu for verification) but pretends not to and certainly is not a member of the IAEA unlike Iran who is. The USA, Britain, Russia, India, Isral and Pakistan are all in violation of the IAEA. Iran would be crazy not to obtain nuclear capabilities considering the countries on her borders that are either occupied or clients of the USA - Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq with Egypt(client state) and Israel(nuclear armed and client state) not far away.
Iran, even if produces the bomb which it very probably will, will never try to use it against Israel. Logic dictates it this way. Despite this very fact Israel is creating constantly apocalyptic scenarios which only work towards decreasing Israel's credibility. If Israel stops talking about it I believe iranians will lose motivation in this bomb affair. As Israelis are constantly talking about it the iranians feel themselves important and they get enormous motivation out of this.
This is good news to prevent Zionist expansionism and stop the USA-Zionist alliance to dominate the whole M.East. Palestinians would also have a "broker".
You're right--a sovereign country can do whatever it wants. Just as a sovereign country can do whatever it wants if it regards those actions to be existentially threatening.
Obama might see such a uranium bank as a way to give Iran nuclear power while denying it nuclear weapons http://www.registan.net/index.php/2009/04/06/kazakhstan-continues-push-for-global-uranium-reserve/
The free world must take stronger steps against Iran's leaders, who have not only displayed apathy towards its own citizens, but a contempt for world order and international integration. This display of dangerous behaviour cannot go ignored and must be dealt with via sanctions, isolation and regime change, immediately.
US probing solution to Iran nuclear problem with Kazakhstan http://www.alternet.org/world/136297/behind_the_scenes,_u.s._tempts_iran_with_global_nuclear_fuel_bank_deal/
'iran is a sovereign country and can do whatever they want'... ISRAEL IS A SOVEREIGN COUNTRY AND CAN DO W H A T E V R THEY WANT
l. Now the IAEA is considering Kazakhstan's proposal to host a nuclear fuel bank on its territory, a gesture that might yet cut the international Gordian knot of Iran's civilian nuclear program. http://www.miningweb.co.za/mineweb/view/mineweb/en/page72068?oid=93814&sn=Detail
And israel's nukes are a figment of the imagination!
"Iran is a sovereign country and can do whatever they want." Iran is a sovereign country which signed a treaty with dozens of other nations. Iran has benefited from that treaty and breached that treaty (for 8 years before being caught). Now those other nations can do whatever they want.
Russia have been bought off with nuke contracts. China are fixated on their oil contracts. The US has a lame duck mollusc of a president. And Iran is reckoning on the fact that it can just about get away with this.
http://www.iaea.org/About/Policy/GC/GC53/Statements/kazakhstan.pdf //Kazakhstan has ratified the International Convention on the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism // http://www.iaea.org/NewsCenter/News/2005/nuclear_kazakhstan.html Kazakhstan is involved in GETTING RID OF weapons grade Uranium. Not Making it.
I am the last person to beleive anything coming out of obama's mouth but I would believe him over any denial anything coming out of iran. The pre-emptive attack scenerio must be updated to include an attack on the threatening nation as well as anyone supporting that nation. In this case the people of Kazakhstan must understand that they will be held responsible for irans actions too.
You'll say "blah blah blah it won't nuke". In some way, it will. It will nuke the Arab world's mind, rallying all opinions around it with fear. Rockets will rain. I'm sorry, but if you're gonna break the rules, I'll have to break them to prevent that first!
So is Israel. They can do whatever they want to and if another countries leader threatens your country of total destruction than seeks to acquire the materials to do just that, than Israel should stop from attaining those materials by any means neccesary. Agreed?
By fabricating such issues time and again, West harms the very little credibility it has and goes on to portray itself as a dishonest entity. Nuclear weapons would do Iran more harm and Iran knows this.
Wow their really getting desperate aren't they. Next they'll be telling us AlQuedas in Tehran. Wake up people, the people who will be sending your kids to war will not be sending their own. That's a fact.
Am I eager to hear his response, especially since he always new ideas, not always good or not always bad, just new and that is something that coupled with his position of power and the global implications that this one man's decision will have, make it very exciting. I think that the decision made here will define his legacy as President, but it will be one of those issues where it will be judged with the unfair hindsight of 20 20 vision. That said, Afghanistan was underway when he took office and was declared a goal in his campaign. Iran was different, it was a different approach that, many, myself included, were hopefull of. But, now that it has flopped and a year is lost I wonder what will be his response. Good Luck to you Mr. President, remember, you can't make everyone happy, especially on this issue, so don't try to, it will only make everyone upset.
This wouldn't be the same intelligence operatives that planted stories in newspapers about Iraq trying to smuggle yellow cake from Africa prior to the invasion of Iraq? Sounds like it to me.
Iran is a sovereign country and can do whatever they want.
All, Now that the secret is out, I don't think Kazakhstan will play. Russia won't appreciate being edged out as Iran's sole supplier. Kazakhstan is dependent on Russia for pipeline access to Europe for its oil and gas exports. In addition, Kazakhstan doesn't need sanctions for being a proliferator. Kudos to the intelligence agencies for discovering this before it occurred. I'm sure Achmedinidjad is more frustrated than ever. The revolution is growing within Iran. Now that Mousavi's nephew was run over and assassinated by the Basiji, the elite in Iran know that the regime knows no bounds. There are reports of attacks on Basij and police stations in different cities in Iran. For the first time, the opposition is comparing Achmedinidjad and Khameini to the Shah. Look for renewed demonstations every 40 days as the Iranian people lose their fear of the regime. There were some reports of policeman refusing to fire on demonstrators. This is another echo of 1979.
Now I wonder where this report originated from. Its the Iran horror story de jour