Report: Iran Now Has 6,000 Centrifuges For Uranium

[Purveyor]

Source: Associated Press

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Saturday that Iran now possesses 6,000 centrifuges, a significant increase in the number of uranium-enriching machines in its nuclear program, the semi-official Fars news agency reported.

The new figure is double the 3,000 centrifuges Iran had previously said it was operating in its uranium enrichment plant in Natanz.

"Islamic Iran today possesses 6,000 centrifuges," Ahmadinejad told university professors in the northeastern city of Mashhad.

The assertion that Iran has reached that goal is certain to further rankle the United States and other world powers. Washington and its allies have been demanding a halt to Iran's enrichment out of fear it is intent on using the technology to develop weapons.

Iran vehemently denies those allegations and says it is interested in enrichment only for its nuclear power program.

Read more: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iRqjZV1Meppj40hTs8IBOv4DdsQwD925K4C0B

[awoke_in_2003]

1. What the fuck is wrong with this guy?

Is he just looking for a fight. The US and Israel have their fingers on the trigger, just looking for an excuse. Not sure who is dumber: W or this jackass.

[DogPoundPup]

3. The heart of the matter here ...

The Iranians are only enriching their uranium to 3%, which is perfectly consistent with building a power plant.

To create weapons, they would have to be enriching to 98%, which is absolutely not happening, or the IAEA would have found it.

[MadHound]

6. Nothing, he is simply doubling his capacity to produce fuel for his reactors

Just like we do here in the US or any other country that has nuclear power plants:shrug:

The real question is what the fuck is wrong with our country, in that Bushboy and our government are beating the drums hard for war with Iran. They are playing the same game that they did in Iraq, making a non-threat sound like the end of the world.

6000 centrifuges is nothing when you talking about enriching uranium to the point where it can be used in a bomb. Ooo, Iran doubled the potential snail's pace that they could potentially get enough weapons grade uranium at. The fact of the matter is that Iran doesn't have a bomb, and using the current centrifuge method, Iran is years and years away from having enough material for a bomb.

But our current misadministration is hyping the atomic threat, just like they hyped the WMD threat in Iraq. Don't fall for the same trick again.

[awoke_in_2003]

8. I have no problem with it

but why announce it now? Asshat will be out of office in January, and our finger should come off the trigger by then.

[DavidDvorkin]

2. If this is true, and if the centrifuges are dispersed

then that should make it harder to damage the program through bombing. In a way, the claim could be meant as insurance against an attack.

But maybe I'm missing something.

[struggle4progress]

4. Iran: we now have 6,000 nuclear centrifuges (Times: 8 April 2008)

David Byers, and agencies in Tehran

... Nuclear experts believe between 20,000 and 30,000 centrifuges would be required to develop an actionable weapon, a goal which Mr Ahmadinejad denies, but the Iranian President hopes that developing 6,000 would send a powerful signal to the West that he is serious about developing a programme which he says is for the country's long-term energy needs ...

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article3704963.ece

[MinM]

5. Ron Fournier's AP stirring the sh..

it storm again? :shrug:

By failing to give the proper context to this story:

3% enrichment = Nuclear Power

98% enrichment = :nuke:

[bahrbearian]

7. I bet he has the photos to prove it too.

Photo shop

[riverdeep]

9. What they're doing is actually well within the guidelines of international law.

That's the part that the Bush administration and Israel won't tell you. Doesn't every country have a right to develop an energy plan? They are simply counting on the extreme ignorance of the American people when they hear the word "nuclear".

Of actual worry is the loose nuclear material that traded hands and countries when the Soviet Union dissolved. It's still out there in the hands of arms dealers who couldn't give a rats ass about anything except riches, wine and women.

[Ian David]

11. Exactly. Everything they are doing is legal. Unlike the nuke deal Bush is making with India. n/t

[Ian David]

10. There is NO WAY they can make a weapon this way before Bush leaves office.

If Imadinnerjacket doesn't STFU, then January 19, 2009 is his deadline.

What he REALLY needs to do is:

1) Ask to meet with Barack Obama when he comes to visit next month.
2) Walk out of his meeting with Barack and pledge to stop all Uranium enrichment.
3) Give weapons inspectors, media, tourists, Jehova's Witnesses, and anyone with a museum club membership access to any nuclear facility in his country, any time, without notice.
4) Wait until after January 20, 2009 so he can get what he REALLY wanted in the first place-- someone to give his country a shitload of money to behave themselves.

[Hugabear]

12. And they are well within their rights to do so

To date, there has not been one iota of evidence that Iran is developing nuclear weapons.

[Pavulon]

13. 90% HEU was found

that has only one purpose. There is evidence that they were working on a bomb. If it is still in the works is another story.

IAEA disclosed this and other information that makes this action questionable.

However at the end of the day if they get the bomb it is not relevant to the US.

[alfredo]

14. We need to write letters to the editor to clarify what enrichment means.

We also need to show that bush is lying by omission.