IRAN UPDATE

News and comment on the diplomatic movements over Iran's nuclear programme

No. 92 - 17 May 2007

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SUMMARY

• IAEA inspection shows Iran's nuclear programme is more advanced than imagined
• The EU to hold talks with Iran about its nuclear programme
• Deadline to cease enrichment approaching

An IAEA inspection has discovered that Iran's nuclear programme is more advanced than previously imagined. In a statement, Head of the IAEA, Mohamed ElBaradei, said that a key purpose behind the demand that Iran suspend enrichment, namely to prevent them acquiring the knowledge, had been overtaken by events. He suggested that it may be more realistic to attempt to halt the programme below industrial scale. In an attempt to ease tension, Iran has now invited neighbouring countries to inspect its nuclear facility.

UN Security Council resolution 1747 gave Iran 60 days to cease uranium enrichment, a deadline that expires May 24. US Department of State is now calling for "increased pressure with an additional Security Council resolution" to be agreed as soon as possible.

Former US ambassador to the UN, John Bolton stated that the US must attack Iran and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, on a visit to the UAE soon after a hawkish speech by Dick Cheney delivered aboard an aircraft carrier in the Gulf, promised "severe retaliation" if his country was attacked.

Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, and the EU's foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, will meet May 31 for talks on Iran's nuclear program, according to the IRNA news agency. The US has also announced that its Ambassador in Iraq will be meeting with Iranian officials over the next few weeks, but that discussions would be limited to Iraqi security.

Ita O'Sullivan, BASIC

STORIES AND LINKS

West 'fails' on Iran nuclear fuel, BBC website, 15/5
IAEA inspection shows Iran's nuclear programme is more advanced than previously thought.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/6657243.stm

Iran's Nuclear Threat, Time Magazine, 8/5
The construction of new Iranian nuclear plant is further along than imagined. The Uranium conversion facility is located near Natanz is almost ready for use. A second plant is planned for Isfahan.
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,430649,00.html

Iran's former President Khatami blames the West for the nuclear standoff, IHT, 15/5
Mohammad Khatami said that between 1997 and 2005, he came close to reaching an agreement with Europeans, but U.S. pressure forced them to back off.
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/05/15/europe/
EU-GEN-Norway-Iran-Khatami.php

'Security' probe for Iran critic, AP, 16/5
Tehran has announced that Haleh Esfandiari, the Iranian-American academic detained in Iran, is being investigated for security crimes. US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, called for her immediate release
http://www.nypost.com/seven/05162007/news/worldnews/
security_probe_for_iran_critic_worldnews_.htm

We must attack Iran before it gets the bomb, Telegraph 16/05
John Bolton former US ambassador to the UN has said that the US must attack Iran to prevent it developing a nuclear bomb.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?
xml=/news/2007/05/16/wbolton16.xml

COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

Nuclear Black Markets: Pakistan, AQ Khan and the rise of proliferation networks, IISS, 2/5
A IISS report explores the black market that Iran could buy nuclear technology from.
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1619039,00.html?
xid=rss-nation&iid=link-sphere-related ;
http://www.iiss.org/publications/strategic-dossiers/nbm

Reliable intel or dangerous manipulation? Haaretz, 15/5
Reliable information or a diplomatic manipulation - that is the big question surrounding the statements on Monday by Mohamed ElBaradei, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, to the effect that Iran has achieved a significant technological advance in its efforts to enrich uranium.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/860010.html