IAEA Obtains New Details on Potential Iranian Nuke Work

The International Atomic Energy Agency has obtained new data contributing to concerns about possible military elements of Iran's nuclear program, IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano said today (see GSN, Feb. 24).

The U.N. nuclear watchdog's concerns about possible nuclear weapon work were based in part on "new information recently received," Amano said in his latest safeguards report on Iran's nuclear activities.

Tehran says its atomic operations, including uranium enrichment, are strictly civilian in nature. However, the government for more than two years has refused to address remaining matters of concern with the U.N. nuclear watchdog "or to provide any further information, or access to locations and people necessary to address the agency's concerns," the report states.

"The agency remains concerned about the possible existence in Iran of past or current undisclosed nuclear related activities involving military related organizations, including activities related to the development of a nuclear payload for a missile," Amano said, adding certain information suggests some "of these activities may have continued beyond 2004."

http://gsn.nti.org/gsn/nw_20110225_9165.php

Could that be their surprise?

Have we heard any more on that story? There is so much going on that it feels like flood at times.

LewNi wrote:Could that be their surprise?

Have we heard any more on that story? There is so much going on that it feels like flood at times.

I'm just seeing the same stuff, essentially quoting their press release. They talk about "new information," but won't say what that is, except that it's related to making a "missile payload."

That's not trivial. For instance, North Korea has nuclear weapons, and North Korea has missiles, but they DON'T have a weapon that can fit on a missile. At least not yet.

Iran has missiles, but no nukes. If their first weapon could be put on a long range missile it would be an instant game changer.

Israeli and US spy agencies feed info to the IAEA, but usually on the condition that it stays secret. It may not come out for awhile.

Well, this adds a little:

Iran adding advanced equipment to uranium plant, U.N. nuclear watchdog says

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/25/AR2011022504591.html

Iran appears to be preparing to dramatically scale up its production of enriched uranium, according to a new U.N. report that says Iranian scientists have moved to install advanced equipment at the country's main nuclear complex.

The report, released Friday by the International Atomic Energy Agency, also includes fresh evidence that Iran has overcome the damage inflicted to its existing uranium plant by apparent cyberattacks in the last two years. The nuclear watchdog said Iran was boosting its enriched-uranium stockpile at a steady or slightly higher rate compared with production before the attack.

So it should be quite concerning about Syria refusing the inspections into their nuclear program. Especially since that is where the Iranian ships just went. Am off on that or just trying to connect dots?

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3854286,00.html

http://www.globalsecuritynewswire.org/gsn/nw_20110225_1832.php

LewNi wrote:So it should be quite concerning about Syria refusing the inspections into their nuclear program. Especially since that is where the Iranian ships just went. Am off on that or just trying to connect dots?

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3854286,00.html

http://www.globalsecuritynewswire.org/gsn/nw_20110225_1832.php

Syria's actions are certainly a concern, but who knows if there's a connection to the Iranian convoy. I'd be surprised if there were anything too incriminating on those ships as they had to figure there was a good chance they would be stopped & searched. OTOH, who can guess what they think.

LewNi wrote:So it should be quite concerning about Syria refusing the inspections into their nuclear program. Especially since that is where the Iranian ships just went. Am off on that or just trying to connect dots?

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3854286,00.html

http://www.globalsecuritynewswire.org/gsn/nw_20110225_1832.php

Youre a clever girl and Im just so dense. I never put those things together like you just have.

Thanks Straw, I don't think you are dense at all. Sometimes I try to put too much together. Things never cease to amaze me and I am always looking for how things work and sometimes I pile a lot of similar things together, sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't.

LewNi wrote:Thanks Straw, I don't think you are dense at all. Sometimes I try to put too much together. Things never cease to amaze me and I am always looking for how things work and sometimes I pile a lot of similar things together, sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't.

sounds like my stews