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Weapons Grade Plutonium Found In Iran
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| Marc Summers |
| quote: | VIENNA, Austria - The U.N. atomic agency found traces of highly enriched uranium at an Iranian site linked to the country’s defense ministry, diplomats said Friday, adding to concerns that Tehran was hiding activities aimed at making nuclear arms.
The diplomats, who demanded anonymity in exchange for revealing the confidential information, said the findings were preliminary and still had to be confirmed through other lab tests. But they said the density of enrichment appeared to be close to or above the level used to make nuclear warheads.
Still, they said, further analysis could show that the traces match others established to have come from abroad. The International Atomic Energy Agency determined earlier traces of weapons-grade uranium were imported on equipment from Pakistan that Iran bought on the black market during nearly two decades of clandestine activity discovered just over three years ago.
Uranium enriched to between 3.5 percent and 5 percent is used to make fuel for reactors to generate electricity. It becomes suitable for use in nuclear weapons when enriched to more than 90 percent.
Iran’s refusal to give up enrichment ambitions has led to involvement by the U.N. Security Council, which has the power to impose sanctions but remains split on how firmly to pressure Tehran.
Deadline extended for Tehran
Key U.N. Security Council members agreed Tuesday to postpone a resolution that would have delivered an ultimatum to Tehran, giving Iran another two weeks to re-evaluate its insistence on developing its uranium enrichment capabilities.
Iran’s hard-line president said Friday that his country was not afraid of possible U.S. military action over its enrichment program, but added that he thought any such strikes were very unlikely. Washington has said it favors a diplomatic end to the dispute, but it hasn’t ruled out military force.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad also told a local TV station that Iran would cooperate with the Security Council if it makes a decision on the escalating standoff as long as the world body acts “in line with international rules.”
The Islamic republic denies accusations it wants to make nuclear arms and says it is only interested in uranium to generate power.
To argue that it never enriched uranium domestically to weapons grade, it cites the IAEA’s tentative conclusion last year that weapons-grade traces collected from other sites within the country with no suspected ties to that military came in on equipment from Pakistan.
The origin of the samples now under perusal created some concern in that regard.
Samples used in centrifuges
One of the diplomats told The Associated Press that the samples came from equipment that can be used in uranium-enriching centrifuges at a former research center at Lavizan-Shian. The center is believed to have been the repository of equipment bought by the Iranian military that could be used in a nuclear weapons program.
The United States alleges Iran had conducted high-explosive tests that could have a bearing on developing nuclear weapons at the site.
The State Department said in 2004 that Lavizan’s buildings had been dismantled and topsoil had been removed in attempts to hide nuclear weapons-related experiments. The agency subsequently confirmed that the site had been razed.
In an April 28 report to the U.N. Security Council and the IAEA’s 35-nation board of governors, agency head Mohamed ElBaradei said the agency took samples from some of the equipment of the former Physics Research Center at Lavizan-Shian. The diplomat said the evaluation of those samples revealed the traces in question.
Ahmadinejad’s remarks on possible U.S. military action were made in Jakarta during a discussion with Indonesian Islamic leaders.
Attack 'very unlikely'
Asked whether his country was prepared to face an attack by the United States, he said “that is very unlikely because they know the Islamic Republic of Iran is a strong country.”
“They are trying to frighten our country by waging a propaganda campaign using strong words. The people of Iran and the country are not afraid of them,” he said to applause from the audience.
The Chinese and Russians have balked at British, French and U.S. efforts to put the resolution under Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter. Such a move would declare Iran a threat to international peace and security and set the stage for further measures if Tehran refuses to suspend its uranium enrichment operations. Those measures could range from breaking diplomatic relations to economic sanctions and military action. |
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Ok, I have been pretty passive about this situation, but now I think it's time to start thinking about Iran's goal. Why would they be making nukes? Nuclear Weapons hold no defensive capabilities, only offensive and retaliative attacks can be accomplished. Who do they plan on intimidating with these nukes? Depending on what type of missles Russia gave Iran, I think the most obvious country they want to intimidate is Israel. Ahmadi-Nejad has expressed his hostility toward Israel, and I don't think it would be too soon to say that would be his main target. He is also doing a very good job of making the entire world crazed. This situation between Iran and particulary the US has rekindled the cold war stand off between the west and the east.
This is one for the history books, lets hope we play our cards right. |
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| Lira |
| quote: | Originally posted by Marc Summers
Why would they making nukes? Nuclear Weapons hold no defensive capabilities |
Of course they do - it all happens within the diplomatic and strategic spheres (as you'd hardly attack a country that's got nuclear weapons), but it does "protect" the countries that own them. |
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| Marc Summers |
| quote: | Originally posted by Lira
Of course they do - it all happens within the diplomatic and strategic spheres (as you'd hardly attack a country that's got nuclear weapons), but it does "protect" the countries that own them. |
You defend against an attack. If they don't attack, there is no need to defend your country. Nukes are simply a deterrent weapon. |
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| Lepanto |
| This is just like 1930's when Europe was bending over backwards with their policy of appeasment and got ass-ed by Hitler. Good job of not letting history repeat itself. |
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| Fir3start3r |
| quote: | Originally posted by Lepanto
This is just like 1930's when Europe was bending over backwards with their policy of appeasment and got ass-ed by Hitler. Good job of not letting history repeat itself. |
Oh don't worry.
With this news, the Euro-liberals are probably propping themselves over the table right about now...:rolleyes: |
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| Lepanto |
| quote: | Originally posted by Fir3start3r
Oh don't worry.
With this news, the Euro-liberals are probably propping themselves over the table right about now...:rolleyes: |
Or are screaming for Iran to go on ;) |
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| Marc Summers |
| What are the consequences of breaking the "Nuclear Non-Proliferation" treaty? |
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| Lepanto |
| quote: | Originally posted by Marc Summers
What are the consequences of breaking the "Nuclear Non-Proliferation" treaty? |
A spanking. |
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| Fir3start3r |
| quote: | Originally posted by Marc Summers
What are the consequences of breaking the "Nuclear Non-Proliferation" treaty? |
Here's a little snippet from Wikipedia:
| quote: |
Iran
Main article: Iran's nuclear program
Iran is a signatory state of the NPT and has recently as of 2006 resumed development of its uranium enrichment program, ostensibly for its civilian nuclear energy program, as it is entitled to do under the terms of the NPT. It has been accused of reactivating this program by the United States and European Union to covertly develop an independent nuclear weapon program, in violation of the NPT. There has been some concern over the possibility of a nuclear armed Iranian state, with specific anxieties raised after controversial remarks made by Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad about the state of Israel [12]. Iran remains under investigation by the International Atomic Energy Agency, who have currently presented no evidence of a nuclear weapons program.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a fatwa forbidding the production, stockpiling and use of nuclear weapons on August 9, 2005. The full text of the fatwa was released in an official statement at the meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna. [13]
See also: Iran and weapons of mass destruction
[edit]
Leaving the Treaty
Article X allows a state to leave the treaty if "extraordinary events, related to the subject matter of this Treaty, have jeopardized the supreme interests of its country", giving three months' notice. The state is required to give reasons for leaving the NPT in this notice.
NATO states argue that when a state decides to go to war, the treaty no longer applies; effectively the state leaves the treaty with no notice. This is a necessary argument to support NATO nuclear weapons sharing policy, but a troubling one for the logic of the treaty...
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclea...feration_Treaty
It appears not much, but I'm sure they'd be black-listed in a lot of other areas for sure... |
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| Marc Summers |
| quote: | Originally posted by Fir3start3r
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Thanks man, that cleared up alot. :) |
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| Lepanto |
| quote: | Originally posted by Marc Summers
Thanks man, that cleared up alot. :) |
the treaty itself doesn't really list a "penalty" as it's a membership group for the good of all mankind as i see it. |
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