UN inspectors visit Iran and hope for “concrete results”

UN nuclear inspectors are visiting Tehran for the second time in a month to discuss the country's nuclear programme. The delegation's chief inspector Herman Nackaerts said his team's "highest priority" was to clarify the "possible military dimensions" of the country's nuclear agenda. He added that progress “may take a while”.

Despite Western fears over Iran's uranium enrichment work, which is thought to be geared towards making nuclear weapons, Tehran insists that its programme is designed for peaceful purposes only.

In recent months, tensions with Iran have increased further due to speculations that Israel may strike the Islamic Republic's nuclear facilities. In view of the situation, US National Security Adviser Tom Donilon visited Israel this weekend for talks with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

On Sunday 19th February, however, the head of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen Martin Dempsey warned that Iran's programme was still dangerous, irrespective of whether or not the country was at the stage of assembling a nuclear bomb.

He added: “On that basis, I think it would be premature to exclusively decide that the time for a military option was upon us."

Last week, Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad took part in an elaborate ceremony to unveil new developments in the country's nuclear programme. Tehran said it had used domestically-made nuclear fuel in a reactor for the first time, as well as developing faster, more efficient uranium enrichment centrifuges.

Speaking about the visit, Nackaerts said that he hoped to have a "couple of good and constructive days in Tehran". He added: "Importantly we hope for some concrete results from the trip. The highest priority remains of course the possible military dimensions of Iran's nuclear programme, but we want to tackle all outstanding issues…This is of course a very complex issue that may take a while. But we hope it can be constructive".

Sources: AFP, WSJ, Reuters, BBC News

For more news and expert analysis about Iran, please see Iran Strategic Focus.

Iran disgruntled with Turkey over NATO deal

On Tuesday 4th October, Iran criticised Turkey for agreeing to allow NATO to station an early warning radar in the southeast of the country that will serve as part of the alliance's missile defence system. Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said the defence system was meant to protect Israel against Iranian missile attacks in the event of war.

Ahmadinejad said: "The missile defence shield is aimed at defending the Zionist regime. They don't want to let our missiles land in the occupied territories (Israel) if one day they take action against us. That's why they put it there."

In September, Turkey and NATO agreed that the former would host the radar as part of NATO's missile defence system aimed at deflecting attacks from Iran. In order to appease its neighbour Turkey said the shield does not target a specific country and added that it would block the deal if Iran was singled-out as a threat.

According to Turkish officials, a military installation in Kurecik in the Malatya province some 700km west of the Iranian border has been designated as the radar site. Ahmadinejad said that Iran has been in talks with the Turkish government and has made its position clear. He said: "We told our Turkish friends that it was not a correct job (decision) they did and that it's to their detriment…Such shields can't prevent the collapse of the Zionist regime."

The radar's positioning in Turkey indicates that its ties with the US are improving since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Turkey also works closely with the US and NATO forces in Afghanistan and Libya, albeit it is not directly involved in warfare.

Although Turkey is on good terms with the US, it has in the past taken exception to Washington's stance on the Islamic Republic's nuclear programme, urging a diplomatic solution instead of sanctions.

Sources: Time, Press TV, WSJ, AP

For more news and expert analysis about Iran, please see Iran Strategic Focus.

Iran: Soltanieh dismisses IAEA's latest report

One of Iran's senior nuclear officials Ali Asghar Soltanieh has publically dismissed the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) latest report on the country's nuclear programme. Speaking to IRNA news agency, Soltanieh said: “The report brings up repetitive and boring content... based on unfounded allegations and speculation regarding some activities with supposed military objectives…The agency's scientific and professional reputation will without a doubt be damaged for dealing with these accusations, failing to provide solid evidence, and seeking political objectives."

On Tuesday 24th May, the IAEA said it was assessing new data on Iran's nuclear activities which could potentially reveal previously “undisclosed” atomic intentions. AFP news agency, who obtained a copy of the report, said there were indications that the alleged work in Iran "may have continued beyond 2004."

Iran has always maintained that its nuclear programme was intended for civil uses, rather than for the development of military weapons. The international community, however, has continued to fear that the Islamic Republic is pursuing a nuclear weapons programme despite four rounds of UN sanctions.

Soltanieh added that the report showed Iran was "successfully" implementing its uranium enrichment programme, saying: "It has been clearly noted in the report that our nuclear activities, including enrichment, are being conducted successfully under supervision of the agency."

Sources: AFP, Press TV, Fars News Agency, IRNA

For more news and expert analysis about Iran, please see Iran Strategic Focus.

Iran's nuclear plant begins work

On Sunday 8th May, Iran's first nuclear power plant started work after months of preparations. The plant, located in the Southern city of Blusher, has begun operating on "minimum controllable level of power". It is expected to start generating electricity after about two weeks, and will join the national gird in the next several months.

In 1995, Iran penned a deal with Russia's Atomstroiexport Company which stipulated that all works should be completed by 1999; however, the project was continually delayed by Russia due to pressure from the US over Iran's nuclear programme. Construction was finally competed in 2010.

In October, Iran began injecting fuel into the power plant in the initial phase of launching the nuclear reactor while also carrying out special security measures to ensure safety. In March, after a safety scare Iran then started reloading fuel into the core of the reactor and said it would begin operating sometime in early May.

The safety of the plant was confirmed by Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), Fereidoon Abbasi, and also in March by the Head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Nuclear Safety and Security Department Olena Mykolaichuk who said: "We realized that Iran's safety system responsible for inspecting Iranian nuclear facilities and installations acts very well and is strong."

Sources: BBC News, Fars News Agency, AP

For more news and expert analysis about Iran, please see Iran Strategic Focus.

Iran offers nuclear facilities tour

Iran has invited several key world powers to tour its nuclear facilities, ahead of the second-round of nuclear talks scheduled for late January in Istanbul. The UN suspects that Iran's technology used to produce fuel for nuclear power might also be used to enrich uranium; however, Tehran maintains that the programme is peaceful and intended for civil use only.

It is believed that Iran's invitation to survey its nuclear grounds was extended to Russia, China and several other EU countries but not the US. Speaking about Iran's offer, US State Department spokesman, Philip J Crowley, deemed it a “clever ploy” to dupe the international community into a false sense of security.

Iran's Foreign Ministry's spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said, "The representatives of some European Union countries, NAM [Non-Aligned Movement], and some representatives of the five-plus-one [world powers] have been invited to visit our nuclear sites."

According to Mehmanparast, Iran's decision to comply with international requests to survey its nuclear grounds is a sign of “co-operation with the [International Atomic Energy Agency] IAEA."

It has also been reported that a senior government spokesman, Ali Asghar Soltanieh, extended the selected invitees an all-expenses paid visit to the sites, due to take place later in January. China, a close ally of Iran and one of the invitees, has not confirmed whether or not it will accept the invitation. But China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said that his country was in communication with Iran.

When asked about whether or not US representative would be invited to the tour Mehmanparast said, "The list of the countries invited for the visit will be unveiled when it is finalised."

According to Iranian press reports, the tour would include a visit to the country's uranium enrichment site at Natanz as well as its heavy water facility in Arak.

Sources: BBC News, Voice of America, Sky News

For more news and expert analysis about Iran, please see Iran Strategic Focus.

UPDATE: Iran and the UN agree on more nuclear talks in January

Iran and the UN have concluded two-day talks about Tehran's nuclear programme. Iranian state-television said that another round of talks has been agreed for January in Istanbul.

The meeting ended on a positive note, with several of the participants describing it as “constructive” and having been conducted in a “good atmosphere”. However, it seems that no clear outcome has been reached as Iran's president has once again called on the UN to lift its sanctions.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was cited on Iranian state TV as saying that “cancelling the mistakes” of imposing sanctions would make the impending meeting in January more “fruitful”.

Speaking about the meeting a senior Iranian official said, "The negotiations will resume in end-January in Istanbul to discuss cooperation and find common points."

The international community fear that Tehran may be in the process of constructing nuclear arms, however Iran maintains that its nuclear programme is designed for peaceful civil use.

Source: BBC News

For more news and expert analysis about Iran, please see Iran Strategic Focus.

Iran to increase security measures for its scientists

Iran has said that it will increase security measures for its nuclear scientists, after one of its experts was killed and another wounded in corresponding bomb attacks in Tehran on Monday 29th November.

Speaking about the attacks, the Head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation Ali Akbar Salehi told ISNA news agency that the government has been, “pursuing serious protective measures for hundreds of our scientists and experts since last year and, based on the recent decision, we are to increase protection measures multiple-fold and take other steps as well."

The two bombings were perpetrated by assailants on motorbikes. One of the bombs killed Majid Shahriari, of the nuclear engineering faculty at the Shahid Beheshti University in Tehran, and the other injured Fereidoun Abbasi, a nuclear physicist described by the UN as being "involved in nuclear or ballistic missile activities".

Earlier in the year, another Iranian scientist, Masoud Ali Mohammadi, was killed in a similar attack. Iran has accused the West and Israel of carrying out these assassinations, but analysts believe that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard may be behind the attacks aimed as a means to prevent potential defections.

Salehi said that Iran already offered its scientist considerable protection, but that unfortunately the “devilish ways employed by enemies cannot be predicted." He reasoned that the West was responsible for the killings as a means to deprive the Islamic republic of power, saying "The enemy has found that Iran's nuclear work is advancing considerably and has turned into a symbol of power for the Iranian nation. It makes efforts to withhold the Iranian nation from the power, but they made a big mistake."

Additionally, Iran's Parliamentary Speaker Ali Larijani criticised the West for failing to condemn the attacks, saying "This move by the westerners, who are frequently condemning terrorist acts but have remained silent on the recent assassinations in Iran, is scandalous and disgraceful."

Source: Guardian

For more news and expert analysis about Iran, please see Iran Strategic Focus.

Iran's uranium enrichment programme hit by computer virus

Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has said that the country's uranium enrichment programme has been sabotaged by its enemies. It is believed that the programme has been infiltrated by the Stuxnet computer virus, which attacked Iran's computers in September and was said to have had little to no effect on the technology.

Last week, the UN said that Iran has temporarily suspended its uranium enrichment programme at the Natanz nuclear plant, due to unspecified problems. The West fears that Iran's nuclear programme is aimed at building nuclear weapons, while Iran continues to insist that the programme is designed for peaceful energy use.

"They succeeded in creating problems for a limited number of our centrifuges with the software they had installed in electronic parts. Our specialists stopped that and they will not be able to do it again," said Ahmadinejad during a news conference.

Analysts say that the computer virus has been specially configured to damage motors commonly used in uranium enrichment centrifuges by sending them spinning out of control. The complexity of the virus code suggests it was created by a "nation state" in the West, rather than an organised crime group.

Ahmadinejad and a number of his senior officials say the virus is proof that an “electronic war” has been launched against the Islamic republic by Israel and the West.

Source: BBC News

For more news and expert analysis about Iran, please see Iran Strategic Focus.

Iran accused of violence against French diplomats in Tehran

The French embassy in Tehran has accused Iranian security services of carrying out "unacceptable acts of violence" on its diplomatic personnel residing in the Iranian capital.

The French foreign ministry released a statement saying, "On November 14, particularly serious incidents took place at the entry to the ambassadorial residence in Tehran. Its entry was blocked by unidentified security services who proceeded to arrest guests of the French ambassador and carried out unacceptable acts of violence including against French diplomatic personnel.”

Iran is yet to comment on the claims. However, France has summoned the Iranian ambassador in Paris to express, “condemnation of this extremely serious violation of the 1961 Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations.”

The incident occurred when Iranian security officials proceeded to arrest some guests arriving at the residence of French ambassador Bernard Poletti, who had invited French and Iranian guests there for an evening of Persian music. Insiders say that the latest incident is another sign of the ongoing tensions between the two countries, which have been further strained by France's tough stand on Iran's nuclear programme.

Source: iAfrica

For more news and expert analysis about Iran, please see Iran Strategic Focus.

Ahmadinejad says Iran will not discuss its nuclear programme

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said that Iran will not participate in international discussions about its nuclear activities, expected to take place later in November. Last month, Iranian officials had agreed to take part in talks with six world powers at the invitation of EU foreign affairs Chief Baroness Ashton.

Speaking about the forthcoming meeting, Ahmadinejad said Iran was prepared to discuss regional security issues, but not its "basic right" to nuclear power. The talks have already been stalled for over a year, the six countries involved in the talks are the five permanent members of the UN Security Council - the US, Russia, China, Britain and France – and with Germany.

Iran maintains that its nuclear programme is legitimate and will be utilised for peaceful purposes only, but the international community fears that it might be aimed at developing weapons.

The talks were expected to take place in November in Vienna, but Iran said it was would participate in talk if they were to take place between 23rd November or 5th December in Istanbul, Turkey, before Ahmadinejad's statement issues on Iranian television ruling-out any discussion of the nuclear issue.

"We have said that the talks be based on justice and respect. That means you [the West] have to climb down from your ivory towers and put aside your arrogance," said Ahmadinejad.

Source: BBC News

For more news and expert analysis about Iran, please see Iran Strategic Focus.

Iran has enough enriched uranium to build nuclear bomb

According to a new report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Iran has sufficient quantities of enriched uranium to produce up to three nuclear devices, and is still continuing its enrichment process. According to the report, Iran has around 2.8 tonnes of low enriched uranium and 22kg of 20 per cent enriched uranium.

Iran's supply of uranium is being closely supervised by the IAEA, and cannot be utilised for military purposes, however Iran's consistent rejection of the IAEA decisions and prevention of official inspections of nuclear sites causes concerns that Iran is following its predetermined decision aimed at building nuclear weapons.

The IAEA report encourages Iran to “co-operate in clarifying outstanding issues” regarding its nuclear facilities and to suspend its uranium enrichment operations, despite Tehran's protestations that its nuclear programme is aimed at the peaceful generation of civilian energy. According to industry experts if Iran continues to progress technologically at this pace, it will acquire military nuclear capability by 2014.

To find out more about IAEA please visit IAEA's web site, which you can find here.

For more news and expert analysis about Iran, please see Iran Strategic Focus.

© 2010 Menas Associates