AP Article Fuels Iran War Hysteria
Article Speculates Medical Uranium Enrichment a Weapons Plot
by Jason Ditz, February 08, 2010

In a widely-circulated article which has further fueled Western hysteria about the prospect of an imminent war with Iran, the Associated Press today claimed that Iran’s uranium enrichment program move, an effort to produce medical isotopes which are rapidly running out in the nation, was a secret plot to build nuclear weapons.

The article, entitled “Iran moves closer to nuke warhead capacity,” claims that Iran had informed the IAEA that it “will increase its ability to make nuclear warheads,” an allegation which is not only unsupported by fact but even goes beyond the ample bellicose Western statements quoted in the piece.

In fact the IAEA’s own confirmation of the Iranian statement says simply that Iran is planning to begin efforts for “production of less than 20 percent enriched uranium,” noted by the AP piece as “just below the threshold for high enriched uranium” but actually well short of the 90 percent plus needed for weapons grade material.

Iran has made it clear than the approximately 20 percent enriched uranium will be used in an effort to produce fuel rods for its US-build Tehran reactor, needed in the creation of medical isotopes. The move came as efforts for a third party enrichment deal, which would provide Iran with access to fuel rods from overseas, has stalled amid international ire.

But the AP piece glossed over Iran’s acceptance of the third party enrichment deal last week, a move which it claims was “welcomed internationally” but which was actually roundly condemned by Western officials who claimed that accepting their own demands was an effort to “stall.”

In fact this was the key to Iran’s move, as German officials insisted that Iran’s acceptance couldn’t be accepted, and that they would have to start a new round of negotiations, something Western officials have repeatedly rejected. With the prospect for a third-party enrichment deal at best speculative going forward, Iran was left with the choice of abandoning nuclear medicine treatments for thousands of patients or pushing forward with efforts to become self-sufficient in the process.

And while British officials insisted, and the AP was quick to point out, that they doubt Iran’s capability to actually produce the fuel rods, other experts said they would likely be able to, and Iran seemed to have few options but to try.

At the end of the day though, the biggest problem with the piece was the reference to “nuke warheads,” a technology which Iran isn’t even accused of moving forward. If Iran isn’t even capable of making fuel rods for medical reactors out of 20 percent enriched uranium it is hoping to produce, it is absolutely absurd and irresponsible to claim that Iran is nearing the capability of producing nuclear-capable warheads, which would require not only weapons-grade uranium which they are not producing, but advanced delivery systems.

With Iran’s enrichment facilities under 24-hour IAEA surveillance, they will be able to confirm that neither Iran’s current 3.5 percent uranium or its speculative 20 percent uranium is diverted to anything but civilian purposes. The surveillance would also instantly confirm if Iran began enriching uranium beyond 20 percent, meaning the threat of Iran suddenly acquiring a nuclear weapon is entirely illusory. Western officials, and some writers at the Associated Press, however, see fit to look beyond the lack of concrete threats and instead rely on public fear of the unknown to make the case for escalating tensions beyond all reason, and bringing the West ever closer to a needless war with Iran.

http://news.antiwar.com/2010/02/08/ap-article-fuels-iran-war-hysteria/


Iran to stop enrichment if given nuclear fuel
By NASSER KARIMI, Associated Press Writer

Tuesday, February 9, 2010


(02-09) 00:49 PST TEHRAN, Iran (AP) --

The head of the Iran's atomic agency said Iran would not enrich uranium to a higher level if the West provides the fuel it needs for the Tehran research reactor.

Iran is set to start enriching uranium to 20 percent on Tuesday, in a move sure to antagonize Western nations who fear that the process of enrichment will eventually yield material for a nuclear weapon.

France and the U.S. said Monday the latest Iranian move left no choice but to push harder for a fourth set of U.N. Security Council sanctions to punish Iran's nuclear defiance

"Whenever they provide the fuel, we will halt production of 20 percent," Ali Akbar Salehi told the state TV late Monday, referring to the enrichment of the country's stockpile above its current level of 3.5 percent.

Uranium enriched up to a level of 90 percent can be used to make nuclear weapons and the West fears that Iran's enrichment program is ultimately geared toward military purposes.

On Tuesday, the spokesman of Iran's Foreign Ministry, Ramin Mehmanparast told reporters the higher enrichment will be done with the cooperation and supervision of the U.N. nuclear watchdog adding that "if other countries or the agency could provide the fuel, our attitude can be different as well."

Mehmanparast said any plan by the West to impose new U.N. Security Council resolutions would not be useful.

"If they attempt another resolution, they are making a mistake. It is not helpful in resolving the nuclear dispute between Iran and the West," he said. "They are completely wrong if they think our people will go back even a single step."

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates told reporters Tuesday the United Nations should slap new sanctions on Iran in "weeks, not months."

Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said Gates believes a U.N. resolution would lay the legal groundwork countries need to impose sanctions independently and pressure Iran to abandon its nuclear program.

No new U.N. Security Council sanctions can be passed, however, with out unanimous agreement from all members, including China who has been reluctant to impose new punitive measures on Iran.

China called for more talks on Tuesday, with Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu saying "I hope the relevant parties will step up efforts and push for progress in the dialogue and negotiations."

Salehi said Iran was seeking purchase of the higher enriched fuel for its research reactor over the past months but the West tied providing of the fuel with a U.N.-drafted agreement to ship Iran's stockpile abroad first.

He said Iran would begin 20 percent enrichment on Tuesday by injecting gas into a cascade of centrifuge machines. Salehi said Iran needs some 1.5 kilograms of 20 percent enriched uranium a month for the Tehran research reactor to produce medical isotopes.

Salehi said 164 centrifuge machines were ready in a laboratory in Natanz to produce three to five kilograms of higher enriched uranium per month.

The official said the laboratory is on ground floor of the plant while enrichment facilities are underground. Salehi said inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency are expected to be present when Iran begins the higher enrichment.

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http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2010/02/07/international/i001521S82.DTL