Iran starts tests on uranium (from ATSNN), page 1

posted on Sep, 21 2004 @ 06:23 AM

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Iran says it has started converting raw uranium into gas for enrichment in defiance of demands set by the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog.

edition.cnn.com
Gholamreza Aghazadeh, the head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation, told reporters in Vienna Tuesday that Iran had begun converting 37 tonnes of raw uranium into fuel for nuclear centrifuges, Reuters reported.

One nuclear expert told the news agency that, if enriched, that would be enough material for five nuclear weapons.

"Some of the amount of the 37 tonnes has been used. The tests have been successful but these tests have to be continued using the rest of the material," said Aghazadeh.

"We've made our choice: yes to peaceful nuclear technology, no to atomic weapons," Khatami told a military parade in Tehran Tuesday, according to The Associated Press.

"We will continue along our path even if it leads to an end to international supervision" of our nuclear activities, he said.

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Concern around the world has grown about Iran's uranium enrichment program due to suspicions Tehran may not be telling the truth when it says it is interested only in generating power.

They have enough materials to make nuclear weapons. That's enough to whipe out most of North America.

A report by ABC News in the U.S. said Iran "may be taking steps toward developing a nuclear device" at a military complex near Tehran.

But U.S. officials told CNN earlier this month there was "no evidence" any nuclear work had been done at the site, known as Parchin.

Who is to believe?

nathraq

posted on Sep, 21 2004 @ 06:28 AM

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I wonder how Israel will react to this. Will they launch a pre-emptive strike, as they've done in the past against Iraqi powerplants?

MacKiller

posted on Sep, 21 2004 @ 07:01 AM

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I hope not.

Jeez, that's all we need, nukes flying every-which-way.

taibunsuu

posted on Sep, 21 2004 @ 07:19 AM

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Israel alone cannot launch a pre-emptive aircraft strike and the effects of a strike are not guaranteed. If they can't resist the urge to attack, they would be better off doing something with more plausible deniability than sending IAF fighters on a 2,000 mile round-trip strike mission.