U.N. Agency Findings Back Up Iran Claim

[maddezmom]

By DANICA KIRKA, Associated Press Writer
7 minutes ago



VIENNA, Austria - U.N. nuclear agency tests have concluded that traces of highly enriched uranium on centrifuge parts were from imported equipment — rather than from any enrichment activities by Iran, a senior Western diplomat said Saturday.

The findings support Iran's claims that the material entered the country together with centrifuge parts provided by Pakistan. The diplomat who confirmed the results spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the case.

"The source of contamination was not related to Iran," said Iran Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi. "We are sure the source is not internal."

The United States has alleged the material was produced by Tehran and the particles were evidence that Iran was experimenting with producing highly enriched uranium, which is only used in nuclear weapons.

more:http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050820/ap_on_re_mi_ea/nuclear_agency_iran

[rodeodance]

1. this very fact was in the papers about a 1-2 weeks ago.

[maddezmom]

2. oops...missed it

just getting back on line after my move.

[NeoConsSuck]

20. For whatever reasons..

mainstream media is giving it coverage today. It even made USAToday. Of course, don't expect it on CNN.COM

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2005-08-20-uranium-iran_x.htm

[cal04]

3. UN nuclear watchdog to clear Iran on uranium charge

The UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency has concluded that highly enriched uranium particles found in Iran were from imported equipment and not from work in making what can be the raw material for atom bombs, diplomats told AFP news on Friday.

The IAEA’s latest finding “will be seen by those in favor of Iran as another checkmark in their column” to back up the Islamic republic’s rebuttals, diplomat close to the agency said on Friday.

“The conclusion shows the highly enriched uranium appears to emanate from Pakistan,” the diplomat told AFP, adding that the results on cases of (LEU) low enriched uranium contamination, which is below weapons-grade, were “murky” and that the “LEU issue will probably never be solved.”

Another diplomat said the inability to resolve the LEU question meant that the investigation's results “don't prove Iran's story is true. They prove it is plausible.”
The diplomat also said that the IAEA’s September 3 report will also say that the agency has found little suspicious in Iran's work with plutonium.The IAEA declined to comment refused to comment on the latest findings, to be included in its September 3 report on Iran's compliance with international nuclear safeguards.

http://www.aljazeera.com/me.asp?service_ID=9501

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

4. sadly,

Bush won't let the facts get in the way of his delusions. What I fear is that he will go ahead and nuke Iran.

[anotherdrew]

9. if he tries to nukes anything he'll be out on his ass in seconds

the military will not follow such insane orders and will end his reign. Or so I prey.

[ElectroPrincess]

16. Oh my! ...

Don't prEy, but prAy! LOL and please note that I'm only TEASING and TWEAKING (not a grammar nut). In fact, I've made the same typo in the past. ;)

As a Veteran and a Spouse of a retired Marine, I am convinced that the general officer corps has been, to date, purged and deafeningly silent at the Pentagon. However, there are retired General Officers who are presently speaking out.

The Problem? As usual = the Corporate Media, a.k.a. The Primary Handmaiden and Butt Boy for the Bush Administration will not pay attention.

However, if you want to know the latest on the Holloway case in Aruba, our whorish national media is "all over it." :puke:

Oh yes, every week after Mass, I light a candle as I pray for an end to this "money-changers & "war-profiteers RULE" madness.

[VegasWolf]

5. Boy, Bush is having a bad vacation. "Mommy, I want to attack SOMEBODY!!"

[annabanana]

6. I saw this info sink a few times last week...

Can we try to get it onto "greatest" so more people know that any "IRAN is building A-BOMBS" drumbeats can be recognized for what they are? We really can't afford to let PNAC follow through with it's long held plans...

[RoyGBiv]

7. Done ...

Recommendation #5. :-)

[loudsue]

8. Good idea....Let's get it on the Greatest page...

This needs to get some legs, so we can shout it across the world:

The U.N. inspectors are saying it WAS NOT Iran that put the bad nukie-dookie on the equipment! It was booosh & Co. ally, PAKISTAN!

:kick:

[Duer 157099]

10. 2 questions:

1) why would an oil-rich country need to develop nuclear power?

2) why isn't this story focusing on the fact that Pakistan is selling equipment that is contaminated with radioactivity! And why wouldn't Iran have tested new equipment for this radioactivity? Seriously, would you want to buy contaminated equipment?

[evermind]

12. 1 more question and 2 partial answers

In answer to Q2: probably the contamination was at trace levels, and quite harmless - no reason for the Iranians to be bothered about the equipment.

Q1 is usually answered by the claim that Iran wishes to diversify and augment its energy strategy - maybe they could even claim to be seeking environmental benefits like emissions reduction, but I haven't seen that anywhere ;-)

My own question is: why would the most earthquake prone nation on the planet want to build nuclear plants?! That is one aspect of this I don't see discussed anywhere. http://www.ngdir.ir/Earthquake/EarthquakeMap.asp

[Duer 157099]

13. thanks for the reply...

I suppose you're correct about the trace level, but even so, it just doesn't sit right with me for some reason.

I agree about the seismicity issue too -- I mean, I guess we know the real motivations, and I suppose considering all of their neighbors and their position, they have no real choice but to do what they're doing.

[evermind]

14. Well, I'm not convinced there's an Iranian intention to build nukes

I think it's much safer for them to not build nukes than to build them, and I think they are aware of that.

[Duer 157099]

15. I don't know -- it seems that those who get nukes

are treated with a bit more caution. If Iraq had nukes -- I mean actually had them -- would Bush have been so eager to go in there? I wonder.

[evermind]

21. Iraq was a country debilitated by a decade of crippling sanctions

if any serious indication of their developing nukes was available, the sites would have been hit from the air well before they could have been completed.

I think if the Iranians started developing nukes for real, they'd be running a serious risk of air strikes on nuclear facilities, which is not the sort of thing you want happening in your region.. Not to say they won't get this without actually working on nukes, but not working on them must reduce the chances somewhat.

If they did actually have nukes they might be safer, but that doesn't mean pursuing a development program is a safe option - the risky part is while you're still developing them! ;-)

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

11. Well, you know...

The UN is part of the Worldwide Satanic Islamic Atheist Darwinist Socialist Anti-American Anti-Christian Conspiracy! They're all in CAHOOTS!

[jsamuel]

17. EMAIL THIS OUT!!!

Make sure everyone you know knows that this means that we have NO EVIDENCE FOR WMD's in IRAN.

[Nothing Without Hope]

18. This will be ignored by the Bushies and their Poodle Press just like the

leaked National Intelligence Estimate on Iran - the best intelligence available in this country - was ignored. After all, it stated that Iran would not be able to build a nuclear bomb for at least ten years, and the Bushies want to invate NOW.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4252778
Thread title: Three extremely important threads on Iran nukes & the Bush agenda

[mbperrin]

19. Isn't it a shame that telling the truth means staying anonymous?

The "sensitivity" of the case prevents open telling of the truth; after all, wouldn't want to get in the way of a certain homicidal maniac who IS itching to nuke someone, wouldja?

[mom cat]

22. Nice, but the truth from the UN did not help Iraq a damned bit!

The truth was suspended in the 2000 Selection and has been non functioning ever since.

[burythehatchet]

23. this is similar to when El Baradei debunked the niger story

but the media refused to cover it.