Uranium conspiracy

Iran and IAEA suspect each other of fraud

The next week may become decisive in the development of the situation around the Iranian nuclear problem . On June 2, an almost week-long meeting of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will open in Vienna, at which the report of Director General Muhammad ElBaradei on Iran will be discussed. The famous European diplomat Javier Solana may arrive in Tehran at the same time. He will also discuss the IAEA report with the Iranians. The contents of this document, released recently, testify against Iran.

IAEA spokeswoman Melissa Fleming told Vremya Novostey: “The report covers the period from February 22, when Muhammad ElBaradei presented a previous similar document. It was simultaneously sent to the members of the UN Security Council.” According to her, this was done on the basis of UN Security Council resolution 1803 of March 3. “The resolution required Mr. ElBaradei to submit another report within 90 days on whether Iran has agreed to a complete and long-term suspension of all types of activities mentioned in previous UN decisions,” says VN’s interlocutor. First of all, this applies to uranium enrichment, which, according to the United States and European allies, has a military orientation.

If the IAEA and the UN Security Council confirm Iran’s refusal to suspend work, which is obvious, then the sanctions prescribed in resolution 1803 will begin to apply to Tehran. They further restrict Iran’s international financial and economic activities and prevent Iranians responsible for the nuclear program from traveling abroad. We can expect further tightening of sanctions.

The main conclusion of ElBaradei's report is already known: Iran does not comply with the demands of the world community, but is only increasing work in the nuclear field. According to the IAEA, 3,500 centrifuges for uranium enrichment have already been installed at the Natanz nuclear center - 500 more than in February. In the near future, the Iranians intend to double this number.

“Iran is speeding up work in the nuclear field, and this naturally causes concern to the world community,” Sergei Demidenko, an expert at the Russian Institute for Strategic Assessments and Analysis, told VN. “The production of highly enriched uranium is a dual-use technology; it could lead to the creation of nuclear weapons.”

There is even less clarity regarding Iranian developments, which Mohammed ElBaradei carefully grouped together in the report under the heading “Alleged Research.” Western sources include testing of explosives and testing of missiles capable of penetrating the dense layers of the atmosphere and carrying nuclear warheads. The IAEA Director General called on Iran to “share with the agency” additional information in this regard.

But the Iranians are unlikely to make significant concessions. The new chairman of the Majlis (parliament) and the country's former chief nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, warned yesterday that parliament will demand that Iran's leadership "reconsider relations with the IAEA." Larijani said the Iranians would not allow the agency to "engage in fraud." Iran suspects the IAEA of colluding with the “six” mediators involved in resolving the Iranian problem - we are talking about Russia, the USA, China, Great Britain, France and Germany.

Petr ISKENDEROV