N. Korea provided raw uranium to Syria in 2007: sources

Posted by Matt in February 27th, 2010 | no comment

Published in Nuclear, Syria, Korean Issues, Military Sources, North Korean, North-Korea, Nuclear Reactor, Raw, Syria, Uranium

North Korea provided about 45 tons of ”yellowcake” uranium to Syria in September 2007 for production of fuel for an undeclared nuclear reactor, diplomatic and military sources knowledgeable on North Korean issues said Saturday.
N. Korea provided raw uranium to Syria in 2007: sources

Experts: Iran may be ‘inviting’ Israel attack to unite support – Haaretz – Israel News

Posted by Matt in February 27th, 2010 | no comment

Published in Iran, Israel, haaretz, Iran, Israel, Israel News, Natanz Facility, Uranium

Experts are suggesting that Iran may be “inviting” Israel to attack one of its nuclear sites, following the recent unusual and puzzling transfer of a significant portion of Iran’s enriched uranium aboveground at its Natanz facility.
Experts: Iran may be ‘inviting’ Israel attack to unite support – Haaretz – Israel News

‘Syria site bombed by Israel in 2007 likely to have been a nuclear reactor’ – Haaretz – Israel News

Posted by Matt in February 18th, 2010 | no comment

Published in Syria, Atomic Energy Agency, haaretz, International Atomic Energy, International Atomic Energy Agency, International Atomic Energy Agency Iaea, Israel, Israel News, Nuclear Reactor, Organization, Particles, Syria, Uranium

Uranium particles found by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Syria are an indication that a site bombed by Israel in 2007 could indeed have been a nuclear reactor, the organization said in a new report Thursday.
‘Syria site bombed by Israel in 2007 likely to have been a nuclear reactor’ – Haaretz – Israel [...]

Iran’s Gas Centrifuge Program: Taking Stock

Posted by Matt in February 11th, 2010 | no comment

Published in Iran, Nuclear, Appendix, Atomic Energy Agency, Enrichment Plant, First Principles, Fuel Enrichment, Gas Centrifuge, International Atomic Energy, International Atomic Energy Agency, International Atomic Energy Agency Iaea, Iran, Leu, natanz, Nuclear Power Reactor, Optimal Performance, Performance Implications, Performance Reasons, Public Information, Safeguards, Several Thousand, Stock Table, Taking Stock, Uranium

Table of Contents
1. Understanding Enrichment at Natanz
2. First Principles
3. More advanced centrifuges coming? A secret site?
4. Natanz and the P1 Centrifuge
5. Separative Capacity of Iran’s P1 Centrifuge
6. Building a Centrifuge Plant
7. LEU Production
8. Taking Stock, Analyzing FEP Performance
9. Reasons for Sub-Optimal Performance
10. Implications on the Fordow Enrichment Site
11. Findings and Conclusion
12. Figures and Tables
13. Appendix: [...]

Can Iran produce 20 percent-enriched uranium?

Posted by Matt in February 8th, 2010 | 1 comment

Published in Iran, Nuclear, Centrifuge Equipment, centrifuges, defiance, Enrichment Plant, Enrichment Plants, Fuel Enrichment, Fuel Rods, Grade Material, Heu, Inefficiencies, Intelligence Services, Iran Iran, Leu, Reactor, Small Quantities, Stockpile, Technical Prowess, U 235, Uranium, Weapon Grade

Yes. Though Iran may encounter some challenges, it is technically equipped to produce 19.75 percent enriched uranium at the Natanz Fuel Enrichment Plant (note, any uranium enriched to under 20 percent U-235 is classified by the IAEA as LEU; uranium enriched to 20 percent or greater is classified as high enriched uranium (HEU).
If Iran were [...]

DEBKAfile – Iran crosses red line, can enrich uranium up to 20pc grade

Posted by Matt in January 25th, 2010 | no comment

Published in Iran, Nuclear, Break Point, Cabinet Meeting, Celebrations, Crosses, Debkafile, Intelligence Sources, Iran, Islamic Revolution, jerusalem, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Nuclear Weapon Capability, Percent Grade, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Red Line, Sources Report, Uranium

Attaining the ability to enrich uranium up to 20 percent grade brings Iran dangerously close to “break-out” point for a nuclear weapon capability, DEBKAfile’s intelligence sources report. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad promised the “good news” would be announced during the Feb. 1-11 celebrations of the Islamic Revolution. The “news” also prompted an urgent cabinet meeting in [...]

Iran ‘ready to swap uranium for fuel’ – CNN.com

Posted by Matt in December 13th, 2009 | no comment

Published in Iran, Cancer Research, Cnn, Foreign Minister, Iran Iran, Iranian Media, Islamic Republic Of Iran, Kilograms, Kish Island, Reactor, Republic Of Iran, Uranium

Iran is ready to give up some enriched uranium in exchange for fuel that would power a reactor used in cancer research, the country’s foreign minister said Sunday, according to Iranian media.
“We have explicitly declared that Iran is ready to exchange some 400 kilograms of 3.5 percent enriched uranium in Iran’s Kish Island and receive [...]

DEBKAfile – If attacked, Iran wants Syria to hit back at Israel. Damascus hedges

Posted by Matt in December 10th, 2009 | no comment

Published in Iran, Syria, Ahmad, Barack Obama, Countdown, damascus, Debkafile, Defense Committee, Habib, Hedges, International Proposal, Iranian Intelligence, Israeli Attack, jerusalem, Military Sources, Rejection, sanctions, Sources Report, Strategic Partnership, Syrian Defense Minister, tehran, Uranium

DEBKAfile’s military sources report that this message Iran’s defense minister Ahmad Vahidi brought to Damascus where he is attending a session of the high Iranian-Syrian defense committee which went into its second day Thursday, Dec. 10. Syrian defense minister Ali Habib is in the chair.
The Iranian visitor indicated that Tehran expects an Israeli attack within [...]

DEBKAfile – Brazil to sell Iran raw uranium, expand nuclear ties

Posted by Matt in December 9th, 2009 | no comment

Published in Americas, Brazil, Iran, Ali Akbar, Atomic Energy Commission, Brazil, Debkafile, Diplomatic Sources, Foreign Minister, Fuel Plant, Iran Nuclear, Isfahan, Nuclear Program, Peaceful Purposes, President Lula, Raw, Sources Report, Tehran Iran, Ties, Uranium

However DEBKAfile’s diplomatic sources report that President Lula opted for further expanding ties with Tehran and defending Iran’s claim that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.During his visit to Iran, the Brazilian foreign minister was taken around the Isfahan fuel plant by the head of the Iran’s atomic energy commission Ali Akbar Salehi. They [...]

Iranian Uranium Sufficient for Bomb, Israeli General Says

Posted by Matt in December 8th, 2009 | no comment

Published in Iran, Nuclear, Bomb, Global Security Newswire, Head Intelligence, Iran, Israeli General, Israeli Intelligence, Jerusalem Post, Lawmakers, Military Intelligence, Nuclear Bombs, Quot, Refinement, Stockpile, Uranium, Yossi

Iran has a stockpile of low-enriched uranium that with continued refinement could fuel roughly “one-and-a-half nuclear bombs,” the head of research for Israeli military intelligence told lawmakers in Jerusalem yesterday (see GSN, Dec. 7).
Iran has amassed nearly 4,000 pounds of low-enriched uranium, the Jerusalem Post quoted Maj. Gen. Yossi Baidatz as saying.
NTI: Global Security Newswire [...]