MMC
01-09-2012, 05:40 PM
VIENNA (AP) — The U.N. nuclear agency on Monday confirmed that Iran has begun enriching uranium at an underground bunker to a level that can be upgraded more quickly for use in a nuclear weapon than the nation's main enriched stockpile.
Comment from the International Atomic Energy Agency came after diplomats said that centrifuges at the Fordo site near Iran's holy city of Qom are churning out uranium enriched to 20 percent. That level is higher than the 3.5 percent being made at Iran's main enrichment plant and can be turned into fissile warhead material faster and with less work.
"The IAEA can confirm that Iran has started the production of uranium enriched up to 20 percent ... in the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant," said an agency statement, which used the alternate spelling for the site.
"When you enrich to 20 percent, there is no possible reason for that if you're talking about a peaceful program," she told reporters. "So it generally tends to indicate that you are enriching to a level that takes you to a different kind of nuclear program."
About 8,000 centrifuges are operating at Natanz, where five years of enrichment have turned out enough material for several nuclear warheads.
Adding to Iran-U.S. tensions, Iran's state radio reported Monday that a Tehran court has convicted an American man of working for the CIA and sentenced him to death.
Iran charges that as a former U.S. Marine, Amir Mirzaei Hekmati received special training and served at U.S. military bases in Iraq and Afghanistan before heading to Iran for his alleged intelligence mission. The radio report did not say when the verdict was issued. Under Iranian law, Hekmati, a dual U.S.-Iranian national has 20 days to appeal. His father, a professor at a community college in Flint, Michigan, has said his son is not a CIA spy and was visiting his grandmothers in Iran when he was arrested.....snip~
http://news.yahoo.com/un-agency-confirms-iran-nuke-bunker-200449341.html
AP – 2 hrs 8 mins ago.....<<<<<More Here
Looks Like things just have been ratcheted up some more. Plus now Iran throws another wrinkle into the mix. 20% eh. Note the comment on that they already have enough material for several warheads. If this is the case then they already have them. Does this mean the ball is back in Israel and our Court?
Comment from the International Atomic Energy Agency came after diplomats said that centrifuges at the Fordo site near Iran's holy city of Qom are churning out uranium enriched to 20 percent. That level is higher than the 3.5 percent being made at Iran's main enrichment plant and can be turned into fissile warhead material faster and with less work.
"The IAEA can confirm that Iran has started the production of uranium enriched up to 20 percent ... in the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant," said an agency statement, which used the alternate spelling for the site.
"When you enrich to 20 percent, there is no possible reason for that if you're talking about a peaceful program," she told reporters. "So it generally tends to indicate that you are enriching to a level that takes you to a different kind of nuclear program."
About 8,000 centrifuges are operating at Natanz, where five years of enrichment have turned out enough material for several nuclear warheads.
Adding to Iran-U.S. tensions, Iran's state radio reported Monday that a Tehran court has convicted an American man of working for the CIA and sentenced him to death.
Iran charges that as a former U.S. Marine, Amir Mirzaei Hekmati received special training and served at U.S. military bases in Iraq and Afghanistan before heading to Iran for his alleged intelligence mission. The radio report did not say when the verdict was issued. Under Iranian law, Hekmati, a dual U.S.-Iranian national has 20 days to appeal. His father, a professor at a community college in Flint, Michigan, has said his son is not a CIA spy and was visiting his grandmothers in Iran when he was arrested.....snip~
http://news.yahoo.com/un-agency-confirms-iran-nuke-bunker-200449341.html
AP – 2 hrs 8 mins ago.....<<<<<More Here
Looks Like things just have been ratcheted up some more. Plus now Iran throws another wrinkle into the mix. 20% eh. Note the comment on that they already have enough material for several warheads. If this is the case then they already have them. Does this mean the ball is back in Israel and our Court?