Diplomats: Iran expands (uranium) enrichment facility

[jpak]

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/top/all/7004863.html

VIENNA — Iran has set up new equipment that will allow it to boost its efficiency at enriching uranium at higher levels, diplomats said Friday. The move is likely to give the U.S. more leverage with Russia and China in its push for new U.N. sanctions on Tehran.

Iran's clandestine enrichment activities were discovered eight years ago and have expanded since to encompass thousands of centrifuges churning out material enriched to 3.5 percent. But despite three sets of Security Council sanctions meant to enforce demands of a freeze, Tehran moved to a new level in February, when it set up a small program to produce material enriched to near 20 percent.

Tehran denies any interest in developing nuclear arms and says it needs the higher enriched uranium to supply its research reactor with fuel after a U.N.-supported deal to provide the material from abroad fell apart. But the move has increased concerns because it brings the Islamic Republic closer to the ability to produce warhead material.

Uranium at 3.5 percent, can be used to fuel reactors — which is Iran's avowed purpose for enrichment. If enriched to around 95 percent, however, it can be used in building a nuclear bomb, and at 20 percent, uranium can be turned into weapons-grade material much more quickly than from lower levels.

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[bananas]

1. Al Gore: "Iran’s relentless effort to build a nuclear arsenal."

From Al Gore's recent article, "The Crisis Comes Ashore - Why the oil spill could change everything":

http://www.tnr.com/article/politics/the-crisis-comes-ashore

"This enormous and increasing transfer of wealth contributes heavily to our trade and current-account deficits, and enriches regimes in the most unstable region of the world, helping to finance both terrorism and Iran’s relentless effort to build a nuclear arsenal."
...
"I am far from the only one who believes that it is not too much of a stretch to link the ongoing wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and northwestern Pakistan—and even last week’s attempted bombing in Times Square—to a long chain of events triggered in part by our decision to allow ourselves to become so dependent on foreign oil."
...
"... this is a consciousness-shifting event. It is one of those clarifying moments that brings a rare opportunity to take the longer view. Unless we change our present course soon, the future of human civilization will be in dire jeopardy."

An excellent article by Al Gore. I emphasized the part about "Iran’s relentless effort to build a nuclear arsenal" because the nuclear industry has a massive PR campaign which is trying to hide anything negative about nuclear energy, and nuclear proliferation is one of the most serious problems with nuclear energy. Al Gore is one of our most important Democratic leaders as well as one of our most important environmental leaders.

Previous discussion of the article: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=115x246593

[Statistical]

2. How would no nuclear power prevent Iran from building a bomb?

Iran has no operational nuclear power reactor now and is making progress towards a bomb.

Furthermore how would Finland building another reactor increase the likelihood that Iran gets the bomb in next 20 years?

[FBaggins]

3. It's bound to be far more than that.

You can't get to a bomb in one year if you've only recently installed a small amount of 20% enrichment equipment. People wouldn't be making those kids of claims unless there was strong reason to believe that Iran is well beyond this stage.