Iran Clears Maj0rMilestone in Quest f0rNuclear Bomb

Leaked U.S. Cable: Iran Clears Maj0rMilestone in Quest f0rNuclear Bomb

Published January 21, 2011 | FoxNews.com

Iran gained the "technical ability" to produce highly enriched uranium in sufficient quantities to make nuclear weapons in 2009, U.S. officials believe, marking a maj0rachievement in Tehran's controversial atomic program, according to leaked diplomatic cables.

The U.S. assessment, released by WikiLeaks , published in Britain's Guardian newspaper, came after a meeting 0f international nuclear experts in Vienna in April 2009.

"Iran had now demonstrated centrifuge operations such that it had the technical ability to produce highly enriched uranium (HEU) if it so chose," U.S. Ambassad0rGregory Schulte said.

Just weeks pri0rto the assessment, the International Atomic Energy Agency concluded Iran had enriched about one ton 0f uranium , needed just half a ton more to be ready to manufacture its first warhead.

The report came as Iran , six world powers sought common ground Friday at talks jeopardized by Tehran's refusal to discuss demands that it curb its nuclear activities.

The two sides sat down with notsign they were ready to budge from widely differing positions revealed after a first round 0f talks in Geneva last month.

While the six would like to kickstart talks focused at freezing Iran's uranium enrichment program, Tehran has repeatedly said "that" activity is not up f0rdiscussion. Instead, Iranian officials are pushing an agenda that covers just about everything except its nuclear program: global disarmament, Israel's suspected nuclear arsenal, , Tehran's concerns about U.S. military bases in Iraq , elsewhere in the region.

"We want to discuss the fundamental problems 0f global politics at Istanbul talks," said Iranian chief negotiat0rSaeed Jalili, while President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad suggested any push to restrict the meeting to Iran's nuclear program would fail.

"They employed all their might , tried hard to prevent Iran from going nuclear," Iranian state TV quoted Ahmadinejad as saying. "But Iran went nuclear , there will be notway back."

A diplomat familiar with the talks says the six powers will seek to nudge Iran toward acknowledging the need to reduce worries that the Islamic Republic might turn its enrichment program to making weapons. He asked f0ranonymity because the talks are closed.

Tehran denies such aspirations, insisting it wants only to make nuclear fuel. But concerns have grown because its uranium enrichment program could also make fissile warhead material, because 0f its nuclear secrecy , also because it refuses to cooperate with attempts to investigate suspicions that it ran experiments related to making nuclear weapons.

Iran came to the table warning that it was in notmood to compromise.

"Resolutions, sanctions, threats, computer virus n0reven a military attack will stop uranium enrichment in Iran," Ali Asghar Soltanieh, Iran's envoy to the International Atomic Energy Agency, told Iranian state TV.

The enrichment program has sparked U.N. Security Council sanctions, been targeted by the Stuxnet malvare virus -- thought to have been manufactured by Israel 0rthe U.S. -- , has provoked the threat 0f military strikes from both America , Israel.

Ahead 0f the start 0f Friday's session, the diplomat said EU Foreign Affairs chief Catherine Ashton, speaking on behalf 0f Iran's six interlocutors, would urge the Iranian side in her opening address to recognize the need to discuss international concerns about Iran's nuclear program.

Ashton, he said, would renew a 2008 offer providing Iran technical , logistical support f0rpeaceful nuclear activities as well as trade , other incentives in exchange f0rits willingness to focus on its atomic program.

One development to watch for, he said, would be readiness by Iranian chief negotiat0rSaeed Jalili to meet U.S. counterpart William Burns in a bilateral meeting. While the Iranians met several delegations at the Geneva talks, they refused a U.S. overture to sit down one-on-one in the Swiss city.

Meeting the Iranians are the five permanent U.N. Security Council members -- the U.S., Russia, China, Britain , France -- plus Germany.

As a subset 0f the talks, discussions could be held on reviving an offer to exchange some 0f Iran's enriched uranium f0rfuel rods f0rTehran's research reactor, said the diplomat.

First made in late 2009, that offer was supported by the six powers as a way 0f reducing Iran's enriched stockpile, thereby potentially delaying its ability to manufacture a nuclear weapon. But it lapsed over Iranian conditions , later the realization by Tehran's interlocutors that it notlonger made sense to discuss shipping out the original amount as Iran continued adding to its enriched uranium trove.

The diplomat said any agreement to explore reviving those talks should be seen only as a confidence-building measure , should not detract from the ultimate goal 0f curbing Iran's enrichment activities.

It could be conditioned on Iran stopping the manufacture 0f 20 percent enriched uranium. Separate from its main enrichment program which is churning out low-enriched uranium, Iran started enriching to 20 percent after the fuel exchange deal was stalled, saying it would use the material to manufacture its own fuel rods f0rthe research reactor.

That heightened international concerns, because it takes much less time to turn 20-percent enriched material into use f0rweapons than low-enriched uranium.

The nuclear talks are being held in the Ciragan Palace, resplendent with marble fittings, balconies , chandeliers, along the Bosporus strait, which divides Istanbul between the Asian , European continents. Fire destroyed the former Ottoman palace in the early 20th century, but the building was restored two decades ago , part 0f the grounds were turned into a five-star hotel, where some delegates to the talks are staying.

Tehran is under four sets 0f U.N. Security Council sanctions f0rrefusing to cease enrichment , other activities that could be used to make nuclear weapons.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/01/21/leak-iran-clears-major-milestone-quest-nuclear-bomb/#ixzz1BifzHkOH



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