Iran expanding underground nuclear capacity, says IAEA

[alp227]

Source: The Guardian

Iran is preparing for a possible major expansion of uranium enrichment in a fortified underground facility, a UN nuclear watchdog report showed, underlining Tehran's defiance in the face of western pressure and the threat of an Israeli attack.

The UN International Atomic Energy Agency report also said "extensive activities" –a reference to suspected sanitisation efforts –at Iran's Parchin military complex would hamper its investigation of possible past nuclear weapons development work there, if inspectors were granted access.

The number of enrichment centrifuges at Fordow, buried deep inside a mountain to better protect it against any enemy strikes, had more than doubled to 2,140 from 1,064 in May, showed the quarterly report released on Thursday. But new machines were not yet operating, it said.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/aug/30/iran-underground-nuclear-capacity-iaea

[leftyohiolib]

1. i'll bet they're buying yellow cake from niger as well

[cstanleytech]

2. Maybe I am wrong but isnt that the same IAEA that

said the yellowcake documents were forgeries ?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niger_uranium_forgeries#IAEA_analysis

If so then does this mean you just inserted your foot into your mouth?

[leftyohiolib]

3. maybe, but this all reminds me of the drum beat towards war with iraq.

[cstanleytech]

4. Yes, it does sound similar however Iran has been far more

provocative that Iraq under Saddam was and lets be honest, they dont need the nuclear plants period as they have more than enough oil to sell that they could easily invest in solar, geothermal and wind turbines to meet all their energy needs and still have a ton left over to afford to buy the minor amount of radioactive isotopes for their modest medical needs.

[Ash_F]

6. I think it is more about them not wanting to be told what to do at this point.

It may sound juvenile as well as dumb in the face of the largest military in the world but imagine what would happen if some foreign country, especially a rival, came and told the US not to pursue some technology. We would pursue it 10X harder. Iranians are not so different it seems.

[bananas]

7. No, that's not it at all.

http://nuclearrisk.wordpress.com/2011/11/20/ex-spymaster-on-iranian-nuclear-threat/

[ronnie624]

8. I think it's far more likely

that Iran simply feels a need for a deterrent against aggressive foreign powers that seek to dominate important energy reserves in that region. It's really quite simple and straight-forward. There's no need to conjure up a menacing specter of a "Shia caliphate". Any country faced with threats of aggression would attempt to devise a plan for defense. When that threat is in the form of a super power with overwhelmingly superior military capabilities, there's only one deterrent that will work.

[Ash_F]

9. It seems that Admiral Inman agrees with my statement

At least partially.
"And that’s a far more likely way to advance constructive relationships over the long term with Iran than trying to take away something that they believe is their inherent right to have."

Personally, I don't think anyone should have nukes, but he is saying basically what I am saying. Telling someone they can't do something will guarantee that they try it as well as make them an enemy(more than they already are).


I think the idea that Iran would try to expand its sovereignty into the neighboring countries is reaching because, frankly, I don't see the political/economic desire to do so. You only see such claims in blogs not written by Iranians. Plus it is waaaaaay beyond their grasp anyway. I don't think nukes would suddenly change those two things. The fact that the US had nukes did not quell resistance in Vietnam, Iraq nor Afghanistan so I doubt it would do so for Iran should it try to invade another country.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

11. I know "yellowcake" is the result of one refining step

But somehow the term always makes me hungry



edited for bad typing.

[fujiyama]

5. Can even bunker busters reach these?

How deep underground are they? I don't think this necessarily helps Israel's case for war. Even if Iran has a covert underground program going on, and Israel did decide to send a few F-16s and bomb a few suspected sites, I'm really doubtful it would do much other than simply delay Iran's quest for a year or two.

If a country is hellbent on building nukes, it will. Look at NK, one of the poorest and most isolated countries on earth. If they found a way, Iran surely can...

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

13. I doubt if Israel has bunker-busters that can reach that far

The U.S. has some 30,000 lb bunker-busters, but I don't know if Israel has any bombers that can carry that load. Any bunker-buster that can be carried by an F-16 or F-18 would have to be pretty small.

[fujiyama]

14. Good point. I don't think Israel's own bunker busters are capable...

Looks like the US uses B2 stealth bombers to deliver the more massive type.

"The 20ft long, 1ft wide weapon will be delivered by the B2 stealth bomber, is the critical piece of military hardware that underwrites American assurances to Israel that it will neutralise Iran's nuclear facilities if diplomacy and sanctions fail."

"Barack Obama has repeatedly reassured Israel that the US "has your back", but it remains unclear if Israel is prepared to wait to the point where Iran's facilities are placed beyond the reach of its own GBU-28 bunker-busters which weigh just 5,000lbs.
Iran's facilities at Natanz, in the centre of the country, which are buried under 33ft feet of earth and 6ft of concrete and at Fordo, near the holy city of Qom, which are buried in a mountainside, would be the hardest to hit, according to military analysts."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/9432782/US-bunker-buster-bomb-ready-to-go.html

[MagniPeter]

10. Military Coup if Israel Bombs Iran

Military coup could be accelerated if Israel were to bomb Iran, causing the Middle East to explode and a massive destabilization of the free world.

http://www.prisonplanet.com/former-white-house-speechwriter-suggests-military-coup-could-oust-obama.html

[LeftishBrit]

12. Just as a heads-up: prisonplanet is not considered as an acceptable source on DU