IAEA Tests Back Iranian Claim on Source of Nuclear Material

A preliminary examination of weapon-grade uranium on Pakistani nuclear equipment turned over to the International Atomic Energy Agency last month appears to indicate a match to traces found on centrifuges purchased by Iran through the illicit market network headed by former top Pakistani nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan, the Associated Press reported today (see GSN, June 7).

The findings bolster Tehran’s claim that the equipment was contaminated with the weapon-grade uranium prior to arriving in Iran, according to AP. Tehran has denied enriching uranium to levels needed for nuclear weapons.

A senior diplomat close to the agency, however, said it was too early to draw a definitive conclusion. Final results of the testing are likely to become available in two to four weeks, the diplomat said (George Jahn, Associated Press/Information Clearinghouse, June 9).

Meanwhile, international nuclear inspectors have arrived in Iran to verify that all uranium enrichment activities at Natanz have been suspended, in accordance with a November deal with France, Germany and the United Kingdom, Reuters reported yesterday.

While Iran has carefully stayed within the boundaries of the agreement, according to diplomats, construction activity at Natanz has continued.

Iran has been conducting “work on water and electric infrastructure, including piping, in the underground halls, to serve a cascade of at least 1,000 centrifuges,” a diplomat with access to Iran’s nuclear program told Reuters.

This was probably “an attempt by the Iranians to prepare themselves for the day when they decide to operate the facility (and end) their agreement with the Europeans,” he said.

Mohammad Saeedi, deputy head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, confirmed today’s scheduled Natanz visit but denied that Tehran was conducting any sensitive preparations there.

“Inspectors are scheduled to visit Natanz tomorrow. Of course a large number of people work and live there and some changes need to be made to the electricity and water system,” Saeedi told Reuters (Louis Charbonneau, Reuters, June 8).

Ultimately, Iran has plans to install tens of thousands of advanced P-2 centrifuges at the Natanz site, the Los Angeles Times reported today.

While there is no definitive evidence that Iran is manufacturing machinery, Western intelligence officials told the Times that preparatory work has begun.

Two Western intelligence officials and a nuclear expert said they had information about plans for 54,000 centrifuges, up to two-thirds of which would be the advanced P-2.

Diplomats close to the International Atomic Energy Agency, however, said they had no information that Tehran was working on the centrifuges.

“Their having made some planning should not be overly surprising,” a Western diplomat in Vienna said. “However, if there were production going on, it would be a breach of the suspension” (Douglas Frantz, Los Angeles Times, June 9).

Elsewhere, Rosenergoatom, a Russian federal entity, and the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran have established a working group to draw up training courses for Iranian nuclear energy specialists, RIA Novosti reported yesterday.

An agreement was made during a visit to the Kalinin nuclear power plant by an Iranian delegation, according to a press release from the plant’s management.

Moscow is assisting Tehran in constructing a nuclear energy plant modeled on the Kalinin plant at Bushehr, RIA reported (RIA Novosti, June 8).

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