Technology No Hurdle to Nuclear Iran, Scientists Says

A political decision is the only hurdle preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons, as the nation has already acquired the necessary technology, a top Russian nuclear scientist said Monday (see GSN, April 3).

“From a scientific point of view of course they could create nuclear weapons,” said Yevgeny Velikhov, president of Russia’s Kurchatov Institute.

“If they have decided to create nuclear weapons, then they could create them," Velikhov added.  “It is important that Iran does not get nuclear weapons. If Iran gets nuclear weapons it will be very negative for the security of the whole world.”

Iran’s mastery of nuclear technology means that Western nations should abandon the goal of preventing Iran from establishing an indigenous uranium enrichment program, said a Vienna-based diplomat familiar with International Atomic Energy Agency affairs.

“In fact … they already have enrichment technology,” the diplomat said.  “To continue to insist on zero centrifuges is doomed to failure and bound to drive Iran to further reduce the IAEA’s access” to Iranian nuclear facilities (Guy Faulconbridge, Reuters/Scotsman.com, April 2).

Iran’s underground centrifuge installation at Natanz has proceeded more rapidly than once predicted and could allow the nation to enrich enough uranium for a nuclear weapon sooner than expected, according to a leading proliferation analyst.

“If they continue at this pace, and they get the centrifuges to work and actually enrich uranium on a distinct basis,” said David Albright of the Institute for Science and International Security, “then you're looking at them having, potentially having enough highly enriched uranium for a nuclear weapon in 2009.”

Iranian officials have repeatedly stated a goal of installing 3,000 centrifuges at the site by June, a target that most experts believed to be unrealistic.  That assessment may be changing, however.

“I think we have all been caught off guard,” Albright said.  “[Iranian President Mahmoud] Ahmadinejad said they would have these 3,000 installed by the end of May, and it appears they may actually do it” (Ross/Isham, ABCNews.com, April 2).

In Tehran today, Ahmadinejad announced that Iran would free 15 British sailors and marines it seized in the Persian Gulf nearly two weeks ago, the Associated Press reported.  The detention threatened to affect the nuclear crisis.

He announced the personnel would be freed following a press conference at which he would praise the Iranian forces that seized the Britons Iran has charged were in Iranian waters.

“On behalf of the great Iranian people, I want to thank the Iranian coast guard who courageously defended and captured those who violated their territorial waters,” Ahmadinejad said.  “We are sorry that British troops remain in Iraq and their sailors are being arrested in Iran” (Associated Press/Yahoo!News, April 4).

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