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Iran Poised to Create Nuke Next Year

Country mastered warhead deployment in 2003: Times of London

By Nick McMaster, Newser Staff

Posted Aug 3, 2009 1:50 AM CDT

(Newser) – Iran has the capability to build a nuclear weapon within a year, and has either started to do so or is waiting for the go-ahead from Ayatollah Khamenei, sources tell the Times of London. The 2007 US National Intelligence Estimate that reported that Iran had halted nuclear research in 2003 was correct. But Iran stopped because it had already discovered how to detonate a warhead in one of its Shahab-3 missiles, not because of international pressure.

After solving the warhead deployment issue, Iran’s leaders knew creating a warhead was merely a matter of enriching uranium—something they already realized could be done with the centrifuges at the Natanz plant. If Iran decides to build a bomb, engineers will either rush to enrich uranium at Natanz before the global community can do anything to stop it, or carry out the enrichment in secret labs, sources say.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visits the Natanz uranium enrichment facility last year. (AP Photo/Iranian President's Office, file)

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad speaks at a ceremony in Iran's nuclear enrichment facility in Natanz, 186 miles south of Tehran. (AP Photo/Hasan Sarbakhshian)

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 4 comments

Jojo

Aug 3, 2009 8:29 AM CDT

I know it's wrong, but this makes me laugh. A country so technologically prehistoric that they couldn't even figure out how to make a nuclear bomb until 6 years ago, and is taking years to even make one bomb, will probably blow themselves up before they ever harm anyone else. And considering how much oil they are sitting on, this problem may just solve itself.

freethemall

Aug 3, 2009 6:01 AM CDT

If it's too late to stop them from producing the bomb, then they must be made to understand that if they use it, they will be destroyed --- massive nuclear retaliation.

emptycalm

Aug 3, 2009 4:33 AM CDT

I don't know what anyone can do about it. The only way the middle east situation will end is if israel either leaves or goes out of their way to make peace with everyone. Since neither of those options will happen, the next year will probably be intense to watch.

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Iran • nuclear weapons • Natanz • uranium enrichment • uranium • National Intelligence Estimate • centrifuge

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Iran Wants to Change Uranium Deal

But Tehran proposal would make the agreement pointless

(NEWSER) - Iran continues to waffle on the details of the deal under consideration to ship its enriched uranium to Russia. Now it's saying that if it does agree to the deal—a formal response is due Friday—it won't send all of its uranium at once. Instead, it will send shipments to Russia in installments, a condition that would make the agreement largely pointless. More»

Obama Pushes Global Uranium Fuel Bank

Shared supply would undercut Iran's claims of 'peaceful' enrichment

(NEWSER) - President Obama has proposed the creation of a global supply of uranium that would allow nations to obtain fuel for civilian nuclear power but would curtail rogue states' ability to build weapons. An international bank could hamper Iran's efforts to justify its covert enrichment program, the Boston Globe reports. "We want to give the Iranians an opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to peaceful nuclear energy," said a White House official. More»

Nations Try to Block Iran's Nuclear Supply

US, Europe think Tehran is nearly out of uranium

(NEWSER) - Iran is running out of uranium, and Western countries are stepping up diplomatic efforts to keep Tehran from replenishing its supply, the Times of London reports. Iran, which may be out of uranium in months, has so far pursued its nuclear ambitions with a stockpile acquired from South Africa in the 1970s. That material was intended for a civil program, which Iran maintains it is pursuing, but the country is widely thought to be building a bomb. More»

Iran Boosts Uranium Stockpile

UN reports finds country may already have enough for bomb

(NEWSER) - Iran is rapidly moving forward with its nuclear program and may already have enriched enough uranium to take the next step toward building a nuclear bomb, the Financial Times reports. The uranium will need more enrichment to reach weapons-grade levels, say UN experts, who believe the country will wait until it has amassed more nuclear material before attempting the "breakthrough." More»

EU Experts Say Iran Closer to Nuke Weapon

Tehran a year away on uranium; separate UN report out today

(NEWSER) - A new report from a European Union agency concludes that Iran could have enough uranium to build an atomic bomb within one year. The EU results—which precede a major UN report coming out today—look nothing like the findings of the US intelligence community, writes Der Spiegel: the recent National Intelligence Estimate said that Iran would be able to obtain enough highly enriched uranium between 2010 and 2015. More»

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Iran Poised to Create Nuke Next Year

Country mastered warhead deployment in 2003: Times of London

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

Iran • nuclear weapons • Natanz • uranium enrichment • uranium • National Intelligence Estimate • centrifuge

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More Newser Stories

Iran Wants to Change Uranium Deal

But Tehran proposal would make the agreement pointless

Obama Pushes Global Uranium Fuel Bank

Shared supply would undercut Iran's claims of 'peaceful' enrichment

Nations Try to Block Iran's Nuclear Supply

US, Europe think Tehran is nearly out of uranium

Iran Boosts Uranium Stockpile

UN reports finds country may already have enough for bomb

EU Experts Say Iran Closer to Nuke Weapon

Tehran a year away on uranium; separate UN report out today

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Iran Poised to Create Nuke Next Year

Country mastered warhead deployment in 2003: Times of London

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OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

Iran • nuclear weapons • Natanz • uranium enrichment • uranium • National Intelligence Estimate • centrifuge

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Iran Wants to Change Uranium Deal

But Tehran proposal would make the agreement pointless

Obama Pushes Global Uranium Fuel Bank

Shared supply would undercut Iran's claims of 'peaceful' enrichment

Nations Try to Block Iran's Nuclear Supply

US, Europe think Tehran is nearly out of uranium

Iran Boosts Uranium Stockpile

UN reports finds country may already have enough for bomb

EU Experts Say Iran Closer to Nuke Weapon

Tehran a year away on uranium; separate UN report out today

About Us

Site

Newser By Users

Community

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What is Newser?