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Building suspected of developing atomic weapons in Iran wrapped in plastic
By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
August 28th, 2012
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)
August 28th, 2012
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)
The International Atomic Energy Agency, or IAEA, has suspected a
building at the Parchin military complex southeast of Tehran being used
to develop atomic weapons. The nation of Iran has now covered the
building in plastic sheeting, preventing further monitoring of the site
from satellite photography.
Iran has long denied any cover-up at Parchin -- or anywhere else. Iran has also denied that its public nuclear work, i.e. uranium enrichment is meant to create nuclear missile warheads, repeatedly saying it is enriching only to make reactor fuel, medical isotopes and for research.
Iran has refused eight months of agency requests to visit Parchin. It has also turned away IAEA attempts to probe other alleged weapons research and development for over four years. Iran's defiant posture, about allegations over its ultimate nuclear aims, has led to United Nations and other multinational sanctions. Israel has long said it will never accept an Iran armed with atomic weapons.
A fortified bunker at Fordo, 40 miles south of Tehran, has about 800 centrifuges operating, enriching to a 20 percent level. Diplomats say that close to 3,000 are now fully or partially screwed together, including hundreds over the past three months.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared last week that Israel has recently received "additional proof of the fact that Iran is continuing to make accelerated progress toward achieving nuclear weapons while totally ignoring international demands."
The agency believes Iran ran explosive tests at Parchin in 2003, to set off a nuclear charge there, with the suspected blasts taking place inside a pressure chamber.
Iran has described Parchin as a conventional military site and has repeatedly kept IAEA inspectors from visiting until there is agreement on a road map of procedures on how such an inspection can take place.
IAEA officials maintain that this is a stalling tactic, allowing for removal of all traces of such suspected work. Diplomats inside those closed briefings have described the images showing earth moving equipment around the buildings, streams of water pouring out of the site where the chamber is believed to be, and the demolition of surrounding structures.
IAEA chief Yukiya Amano earlier this year suggested that any visit by his inspectors had to come sooner than later if they hoped to find any evidence that was left by the alleged cleanup.
© 2012, Catholic Online. Distributed by NEWS CONSORTIUM.