Global Security Newswire

Iran indicated it would not provide the International Atomic Energy Agency with information on 10 planned uranium enrichment facilities until 180 days before each site begins operations, Reuters reported today (see GSN, Dec. 3).

The announcement heightened concern among experts that Iran could seek to secretly produce nuclear-weapon material. Washington and other Western governments suspect that Iran's nuclear program is aimed at weapons development, but Tehran has steadfastly denied such assertions.

"According to the safeguards, after installation of equipment (centrifuges) and only 180 days ahead of injecting gas into the centrifuges ... we should inform the IAEA," Abolfazl Zohrehvand, a high-level Iranian nuclear negotiator, told state media. "We will act within the framework of the safeguard," he said.

"Since 2007, Iran officially has stopped implementation of amendments to Code 3.1, obliging countries to inform the IAEA when they plan to build a facility," the official added.

The U.N. nuclear watchdog has argued that Iran failed to meet its safeguards commitments when it delayed disclosure of its uranium enrichment facility under construction at Qum. Iran notified the agency of the site in September (see GSN, Sept. 25; Parisa Hafezi, Reuters I, Dec. 4).

The United States yesterday renewed its call for Iran to accept a U.N. proposal by the end of 2009 for enriching the Middle Eastern state's uranium in other countries. Tehran has balked at key elements of the plan, which is aimed partly at assuaging immediate concerns that Iran's uranium enrichment program could produce nuclear-weapon material.

"Our patience is being sorely tested," German Chancellor Angela Merkel added, warning that new punitive measures could be taken against Tehran if it failed to accept the uranium plan (Colvin/Derakhshi, Reuters II, Dec. 3).

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, though, said his country has "no information" indicating that Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons, RIA Novosti reported (RIA Novosti, Dec. 3).

Meanwhile, Iran is building up its navy to improve its ability to seize control over the Strait of Hormuz, the U.S. Office of Naval Intelligence said in a recent report. The nation has threatened to cut off oil supplies moving the waterway if its nuclear facilities came under attack United Press International reported (United Press International, Dec. 3).

Elsewhere, the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization has built a new station near the Iranian border to monitor for seismic activity from potential nuclear tests, Bloomberg reported (Jonathan Tirone, Bloomberg, Dec. 3).