The nuclear program of Iran
The nuclear program of Iran
The nuclear program of Iran was launched in the 1950s with the help of the United States as part of the Atoms for Peace program.[1] The participation of the United States and Western European governments in Iran's nuclear program continued until the 1979 Iranian Revolution that toppled the Shah of Iran.[2] Sony SVS13AA11L Battery
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After the 1979 revolution, a clandestine nuclear weapons research program was disbanded by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who considered such weapons forbidden under Muslim ethics and jurisprudence.[3 A
Sony PCG-41413L Battery] Small scale research into nuclear weapons may have restarted during the Iran-Iraq War, and underwent significant expansion after the Ayatollah's death in 1989.[4] Sony SVS131A11L Battery
Iran's nuclear program has included several research sites, two uranium mines, a research reactor, and uranium processing facilities that include three known uranium enrichment plants. [5] Sony SVS131B11L Battery
Iran's first nuclear power plant, Bushehr I reactor was complete with major assistance of Russian government agency Rosatom and officially opened on 12 September 2011.[6] Iran has announced that it is working on a new 360 MW nuclear power plant to be located in Darkhovin.
Sony PCG-41412L BatteryThe Russian engineering contractor Atomenergoprom said the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant would reach full capacity by the end of 2012.[7] Iran has also indicated that it will seek more medium-sized nuclear power plants and uranium mines in the future.[8] Sony SVS151A11L Battery
In November 2011, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors criticized Iran after an IAEA report concluded that before 2003 Iran likely had undertaken research and experiments geared to developing a nuclear weapons capability.[9] Sony SVS151B11L Battery
Sony PCG-41411L Battery The IAEA report details allegations that Iran conducted studies related to nuclear weapons design, including detonator development, the multiple-point initiation of high explosives, and experiments involving nuclear payload integration into a missile delivery vehicle.[10]
Sony PCG-41218L Battery A number of Western nuclear experts have stated there was very little new in the report, that it primarily concerned Iranian activities prior to 2003,[11] and that media reports exaggerated its significance.[1Sony SVS151G1GL Battery
2] Iran rejected the details of the report and accused the IAEA of pro-Western bias.[13] and threatened to reduce its cooperation Sony PCG-4121DL Battery
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In 2003, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) first reported that Iran had not declared sensitive enrichment and reprocessing activities.[16] Enrichment can be used to produce uranium for reactor fuel or (at higher enrichment levels) for weapons.[
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Sony PCG-41217L Battery17] Iran says its nuclear program is peaceful,[18] and has enriched uranium to less than 5%, consistent with fuel for a civilian nuclear power plant.[19] Iran also claims that it was forced to resort to secrecy after US pressure caused several of its nuclear contracts with foreign governments to fall through.[2Sony PCG-4121GL Battery
0] After the IAEA Board of Governors reported Iran's noncompliance with its safeguards agreement to the UN Security Council, the Council demanded that Iran suspend its nuclear enrichment activities[2Sony PCG-41211L Battery
1] while Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has argued that the sanctions are "illegal," imposed by "arrogant powers," and that Iran has decided to pursue the monitoring of its self-described peaceful nuclear program through "its appropriate legal path," the International Atomic Energy Agency.[22] Sony PCG-41212L Battery
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After public allegations about Iran's previously undeclared nuclear activities, the IAEA launched an investigation that concluded in November 2003 that Iran had systematically failed to meet its obligations under its NPT safeguards agreement to report those activities to the IAEA,
Sony PCG-41215L Battery although it also reported no evidence of links to a nuclear weapons program. The IAEA Board of Governors delayed a formal finding of non-compliance until September 2005, and reported that non-compliance to the UN Security Council in February 2006. Sony PCG-41213L Battery
Sony PCG-41214L Battery After the IAEA Board of Governors reported Iran's noncompliance with its safeguards agreement to the United Nations Security Council, the Council demanded that Iran suspend its enrichment programs. sony PCG-4R2L battery
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The Council imposed sanctions after Iran refused to do so. A May 2009 U.S. Congressional Report suggested "the United States, and later the Europeans, argued that Iran's deception meant it should forfeit its right to enrich, a position likely to be up for negotiation in talks with Iran."[23] sony PCG-4R1L battery
In exchange for suspending its enrichment program, Iran has been offered "a long-term comprehensive arrangement which would allow for the development of relations and cooperation with Iran based on mutual respect and the establishment of international confidence in the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program."[24sony PCG-4Q4L battery
sony PCG-6Z2L battery] However, Iran has consistently refused to give up its enrichment program, arguing that the program is necessary for its energy security, that such "long term arrangements" are inherently unreliable, and would deprive it of its inalienable right to peaceful nuclear technology.
sony PCG-6Z1L battery In June 2009, in the immediate wake of the disputed Iranian presidential election, Iran initially agreed to a deal to relinquish its stockpile of low-enriched uranium in return for fuel for a medical research reactor, but then backed out of the deal.[25] Currently, thirteen states possess operational enrichment or reprocessing facilities,[2sony PCG-4Q3L battery
sony PCG-6XBL battery6] and several others have expressed an interest in developing indigenous enrichment programs.[27] Iran's position was endorsed by the Non-Aligned Movement, which expressed concern about the potential monopolization of nuclear fuel production.[28] sony PCG-4Q1L battery
To address concerns that its enrichment program may be diverted to non-peaceful uses,[29] Iran has offered to place additional restrictions on its enrichment program including, for example, ratifying the Additional Protocol to allow more stringent inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency,
sony PCG-6X8L batteryoperating the uranium enrichment facility at Natanz as a multinational fuel center with the participation of foreign representatives, renouncing plutonium reprocessing and immediately fabricating all enriched uranium into reactor fuel rods. sony PCG-6X1L battery
sony PCG-6X7L battery [30] Iran's offer to open its uranium enrichment program to foreign private and public participation mirrors suggestions of an IAEA expert committee which was formed to investigate the methods to reduce the risk that sensitive fuel cycle activities could contribute to national nuclear weapons capabilities.[3sony PCG-6X2L battery
sony PCG-6X6L battery1] Some non-governmental U.S. experts have endorsed this approach.[32][33] The United States has insisted that Iran must meet the demands of the UN Security Council to suspend its enrichment program[citation needed]. Sony SVS13AB1GL Battery
In every other case in which the IAEA Board of Governors made a finding of safeguards non-compliance involving clandestine enrichment or reprocessing, the resolution has involved (in the cases of Iraq[34] and Libya[35][36][37]) Sony SVS131C1DL Battery
Sony PCG-61911L Battery or is expected to involve (in the case of North Korea[38][39]) at a minimum ending sensitive fuel cycle activities. According to Pierre Goldschmidt, former deputy director general and head of the department of safeguards at the IAEA, and Henry D. Sokolski, Sony SVS131C24L Battery
Sony PCG-61813L Battery Executive Director of the Nonproliferation Policy Education Center, some other instances of safeguards noncompliance reported by the IAEA Secretariat (South Korea, Egypt) were never reported to the Security Council because the IAEA Board of Governors never made a formal finding of non-compliance.[40][ Sony SVS131E1DL Battery
Sony PCG-61714L Battery41] Though South Korea's case involved enriching uranium to levels near weapons grade,[42] the country itself voluntarily reported the isolated activity[43] and Goldschmidt has argued "political considerations also played a dominant role in the board's decision" to not make a formal finding of non-compliance.[44] Sony SVS131G1DL Battery
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Estimating when Iran might possibly achieve nuclear "breakout" capability, defined as having produced a sufficient quantity of highly-enriched uranium to fuel a weapon – if a working design for one existed and the political decision to assemble it was made –Sony SVS151C1GL Battery
Sony PCG-71C11L Battery is uncertain. A detailed analysis by physicists at the Federation of American Scientists concludes that such an estimate would depend on the total number and overall efficiency of the centrifuges Iran has in operation, and the amount of low-enriched uranium it has stockpiled to serve as "feedstock" Sony SVS151C2DL Battery
Sony PCG-61A14L Batteryfor a possible high-enrichment program.[45] A 23 March 2012 U.S. Congressional Research Service report quotes the 24 February 2012 IAEA report saying that Iran has stockpiled 240 pounds of 20-percent-enriched uranium – an enrichment level necessary for medical applications –Sony PCG-61A13L Batteryas an indication of their capacity to enrich to higher levels.[46] The authoritarian political culture of Iran may pose additional challenges to a scientific program requiring cooperation among many technical specialists. Sony SVS151E1GL Battery
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[47] Some experts argue that the intense focus on Iran's nuclear program detracts from a need for broader diplomatic engagement with the Islamic Republic.[48][49] U.S. intelligence agency officials interviewed by The New York Times in March 2012 said they continued to assess that
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Iran had not restarted its weaponization program, which the 2007 National Intelligence Estimate said Iran had discontinued in 2003, although they have found evidence that some weaponization-related activities have continued. The Israeli Mossad reportedly shared this belief.[50]
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History[edit source | editbeta]
Iranian newspaper clip from 1968 reads: "A quarter of Iran's Nuclear Energy scientists are women." The photograph shows some female Iranian PhDs posing in front of Tehran's research reactor.
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1950s and 1960s[edit source | editbeta]
The foundations for Iran's nuclear program were laid on 5 March 1957, when a "proposed agreement for cooperation in research in the peaceful uses of atomic energy" was announced under the auspices of Eisenhower's Atoms for Peace program.[51] Sony PCG-61913L Battery
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In 1967, the Tehran Nuclear Research Center (TNRC) was established, run by the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI). The TNRC was equipped with a U.S.-supplied, 5-megawatt nuclear research reactor, which was fueled by highly enriched uranium.[52][53]
Iran signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) in 1968 and ratified it in 1970, making Iran's nuclear program subject to IAEA verification.
1970s[edit source | editbeta]
The Shah approved plans to construct, with U.S. help, up to 23 nuclear power stations by 2000.[54]
Sony PCG-71911L Battery In March 1974, the Shah envisioned a time when the world's oil supply would run out, and declared, "Petroleum is a noble material, much too valuable to burn ... We envision producing, as soon as possible, 23,000 megawatts of electricity using nuclear plants."[55]
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Advertisement from the 1970s by American nuclear-energy companies, using Iran's nuclear program as a marketing ploy
Iran had deep pockets and close ties to the West. U.S. and European companies scrambled to do business in Iran.[56] Bushehr would be the first plant, and would supply energy to the inland city of Shiraz. In 1975, Sony PCG-71614L Battery
Sony PCG-71713L Battery the Erlangen/Frankfurt firm Kraftwerk Union AG, a joint venture of Siemens AG and AEG, signed a contract worth $4 to $6 billion to build the pressurized water reactor nuclear power plant. Construction of the two 1,196 MWe, and was to have been completed in 1981. Sony SVE141C11L Battery
The joint stock company Eurodif operating a uranium enrichment plant in France was formed in 1973 by France, Belgium, Spain and Sweden. In 1975 Sweden's 10% share in Eurodif went to Iran as a result of an arrangement between France and Iran. Sony SVE141D11L Battery
The French government subsidiary company Cogéma and the Iranian Government established the Sofidif (Société franco–iranienne pour l'enrichissement de l'uranium par diffusion gazeuse) enterprise with 60% and 40% shares, respectively. In turn, Sony SVE141L11L Battery
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Sofidif acquired a 25% share in Eurodif, which gave Iran its 10% share of Eurodif. Mohammed Reza Shah Pahlavi lent 1 billion dollars (and another 180 million dollars in 1977) for the construction of the Eurodif factory, to have the right of buying 10% of the production of the site. Sony SVE151E11L Battery
"President Gerald Ford signed a directive in 1976 offering Tehran the chance to buy and operate a U.S.-built reprocessing facility for extracting plutonium from nuclear reactor fuel. The deal was for a complete 'nuclear fuel cycle'."[5Sony SVE151G11L Battery
7] At the time, Richard Cheney was the White House Chief of Staff, and Donald Rumsfeld was the Secretary of Defense. The Ford strategy paper said the "introduction of nuclear power will both provide for the growing needs of Iran's economy and free remaining oil reserves for export or conversion to petrochemicals." Sony SVE151G13L Battery
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Then–United States Secretary of State Henry Kissinger recalled in 2005, "I don't think the issue of proliferation came up."[57] However, a 1974 CIA proliferation assessment stated "If [the Shah] is alive in the mid-1980s ... and if other countries [particularly India] have proceeded with weapons development we have no doubt Iran will follow suit."[58] Sony SVE171C11L Battery
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The Shah also signed a nuclear cooperation agreement with South Africa under which Iranian oil money financed the development of South African fuel enrichment technology using a novel "jet nozzle" process, in return for assured supplies of South African (and Namibian) enriched uranium.[59] Sony SVE171E11L Battery
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Post-revolution, 1979–1989[edit source | editbeta]
Following the 1979 Revolution, most of the international nuclear cooperation with Iran was cut off. Iran has later argued that these experiences indicate foreign facilities and foreign fuel supplies are an unreliable source of nuclear fuel supply.[60][61]
At the time of the revolution, Iran was a joint owner in the French Eurodif international enrichment facility, but the facility stopped supplying enriched uranium to Iran shortly afterwards.[60][62] Sony PCG-61713L Battery
Sony PCG-71211L BatteryKraftwerk Union stopped working at the Bushehr nuclear project in January 1979, with one reactor 50% complete, and the other reactor 85% complete, and they fully withdrew from the project in July 1979. Sony PCG-91111L Battery
Sony PCG-71318L Battery The company said they based their action on Iran's non-payment of $450 million in overdue payments,[63] while other sources claim the construction was halted under pressure from the United States.[60][64] Sony PCG-91112L Battery
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The United States cut off the supply of highly enriched uranium (HEU) fuel for the Tehran Nuclear Research Center, which forced the reactor to shut down for a number of years, until Argentina's National Atomic Energy Commission in 1987–88 signed an agreement with Iran to help in converting
Sony PCG-71316L Battery the reactor from highly enriched uranium fuel to 19.75% low-enriched uranium, and to supply the low-enriched uranium to Iran.[65] The uranium was delivered in 1993.[66]
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In 1981, Iranian governmental officials concluded that the country's nuclear development should continue. Reports to the IAEA included that a site at Esfahan Nuclear Technology Center (ENTEC) would act "as the center for the transfer and development of nuclear technology, Sony PCG-71312L Battery
Sony PCG-71313L Batteryas well as contribute to the formation of local expertise and manpower needed to sustain a very ambitious program in the field of nuclear power reactor technology and fuel cycle technology." The IAEA also was informed about Entec's largest department, for materials testing, which was responsible for UO Sony PCG-71311L Battery
2 pellet fuel fabrication and a chemical department whose goal was the conversion of U
3O
8 to nuclear grade UO
2.[67]
In 1983, IAEA officials were keen to assist Iran in chemical aspects of reactor fuel fabrication, chemical engineering and design aspects of pilot plants for uranium conversion, corrosion of nuclear materials, LWR fuel fabrication, and pilot plant development for production of nuclear grade UO Sony PCG-71218L Battery
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2.[67] However, the U.S. government "directly intervened" to discourage IAEA assistance in Iranian production of UO
2 and UF
6.[68] A former U.S. official said "we stopped that in its tracks." Iran later set up a bilateral cooperation on fuel cycle related issues with China, but China also agreed to drop most outstanding nuclear commerce with Iran, including the construction of the UF Sony PCG-61211L Battery
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6 plant, due to U.S. pressure.[67]
In April 1984, West German intelligence reported that Iran might have a nuclear bomb within two years with uranium from Pakistan. The Germans leaked this news in the first public Western intelligence report of a post-revolutionary nuclear weapons program in Iran.[69Sony PCG-3B4L Battery
Sony PCG-5N4L Battery] Later that year, Minority Whip of the United States Senate Alan Cranston asserted that the Islamic Republic of Iran was seven years away from being able to build its own nuclear weapon.[70]
During the Iran-Iraq war, the two Bushehr reactors were damaged by multiple Iraqi air strikes and work on the nuclear program came to a standstill. Iran notified the International Atomic Energy Sony PCG-3C2L Battery
Sony PCG-3H4L Battery Agency of the blasts, and complained about international inaction and the use of French made missiles in the attack.[71][72]
1990–2002[edit source | editbeta] Sony PCG-3C3L Battery
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From the beginning of 1990s, Russia formed a joint research organization with Iran called Persepolis which provided Iran with Russian nuclear experts, and technical information. Five Russian institutions, including the Russian Federal Space Agency helped Tehran to improve its missiles. The exchange of technical information with Iran was personally approved by the SVR director Trubnikov.[7Sony PCG-3D3L Battery
Sony PCG-3H2L Battery3] President Boris Yeltsin had a "two track policy" offering commercial nuclear technology to Iran and discussing the issues with Washington.[74]
In 1990, Iran began to look outwards towards new partners for its nuclear program; however, due to a radically different political climate and punitive U.S. economic sanctions, few candidates existed.
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In 1991, an agreement was found for the French-Iranian disagreement since 1979 (see Post Revolution, 1979–1989): France refunded more than 1.6 billion dollars. Iran remained shareholder of Eurodif via Sofidif, Sony PCG-3D4L Battery
Sony PCG-3G5L Batterya Franco-Iranian consortium shareholder to 25% of Eurodif. However, Iran refrained from asking for the produced uranium.[75][76]
In 1992, following media allegations about undeclared nuclear activities in Iran, Iran invited IAEA inspectors to the country and permitted those inspectors to visit all the sites and facilities they asked to see. Director General Blix reported that all activities observed were consistent with the peaceful use of atomic energy.[77Sony PCG-3E3L Battery
Sony PCG-3G3L Battery][78] The IAEA visits included undeclared facilities and Iran's nascent uranium mining project at Saghand. In the same year, Argentine officials disclosed that their country had canceled a sale to Iran of civilian nuclear equipment worth $18 million, under US pressure.[79] Sony PCG-3F1L Battery
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In 1995, Iran signed a contract with Russia's Ministry of Atomic Energy to resume work on the partially complete Bushehr plant,[80] installing into the existing Bushehr I building a 915 MWe VVER-1000 pressurized water reactor, with completion expected in 2009. Sony PCG-3F2L Battery
In 1996, the U.S. convinced the People's Republic of China to pull out of a contract to construct a uranium conversion plant. However, the Chinese provided blueprints for the facility to the Iranians, who advised the IAEA that they would continue work on the program, and IAEA Director Mohamed ElBaradei even visited the construction site.[81] Sony PCG-3F3L Battery
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According to a report by the Argentine justice in 2006, during the late 1980s and early 1990s the US pressured Argentina to terminate its nuclear cooperation with Iran, and from early 1992 to 1994 negotiations between Argentina and Iran took place with the aim of re-establishing the three agreements made in 1987–88.[82] Sony PCG-9Z1L Battery
2002–2006[edit source | editbeta]
Seen here in this ISNA footage is Gholam Reza Aghazadeh and AEOI officials with a sample of Yellowcake during a public announcement on 11 April 2006, in Mashad that Iran had managed to successfully complete the fuel cycle by itself. Sony PCG-9Z2L Battery
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On 14 August 2002, Alireza Jafarzadeh, a spokesman for an Iranian dissident group National Council of Resistance of Iran, publicly revealed the existence of two nuclear sites under construction: a uranium enrichment facility in Natanz (part of which is underground), and a heavy water facility in Arak. Sony PCG-7142L Battery
Sony PCG-8141L Battery It has been strongly suggested that intelligence agencies already knew about these facilities but the reports had been classified.[83]
The IAEA immediately sought access to these facilities and further information and co-operation from Iran regarding its nuclear program.[84] Sony PCG-7151L Battery
Sony PCG-8131L Battery According to arrangements in force at the time for implementation of Iran's safeguards agreement with the IAEA,[85] Iran was not required to allow IAEA inspections of a new nuclear facility until six months before nuclear material is introduced into that facility. At the time,
Sony PCG-7185L BatteryIran was not even required to inform the IAEA of the existence of the facility. This "six months" clause was standard for implementation of all IAEA safeguards agreements until 1992, when the IAEA Board of Governors decided that facilities should be reported during the planning phase, Sony PCG-7152L Battery
Sony PCG-7184L Battery even before construction began. Iran was the last country to accept that decision, and only did so 26 February 2003, after the IAEA investigation began.[86]
In May 2003, shortly after the U.S. invasion of Iraq, elements of the Iranian government of Mohammad Khatami made a confidential proposal for a "Grand Bargain" through Swiss diplomatic channels.
Sony PCG-7183L Battery It offered full transparency of Iran's nuclear program and withdrawal of support for Hamas and Hezbollah, in exchange for security assurances from the United States and a normalization of diplomatic relations. The Bush Administration did not respond to the proposal, as senior U.S. officials doubted its authenticity. Sony PCG-7153L Battery
Sony PCG-7182L Battery The proposal reportedly was widely blessed by the Iranian government, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamanei.[87][88][89]
France, Germany and the United Kingdom (the EU-3) undertook a diplomatic initiative with Iran to resolve questions about its nuclear program. On 21 October 2003, in Tehran, the Iranian government and EU-3 Foreign Ministers issued a statement known as the Tehran Declaration[90]
Sony PCG-7181L Batteryin which Iran agreed to co-operate with the IAEA, to sign and implement an Additional Protocol as a voluntary, confidence-building measure, and to suspend its enrichment and reprocessing activities during the course of the negotiations. Sony PCG-7154L Battery
Sony PCG-7174L BatteryThe EU-3 in return explicitly agreed to recognize Iran's nuclear rights and to discuss ways Iran could provide "satisfactory assurances" regarding its nuclear power program, after which Iran would gain easier access to modern technology. Iran signed an Additional Protocol on 18 December 2003, Sony PCG-7161L Battery
Sony PCG-7173L Battery and agreed to act as if the protocol were in force, making the required reports to the IAEA and allowing the required access by IAEA inspectors, pending Iran's ratification of the Additional Protocol. Sony PCG-7162L Battery
The IAEA reported 10 November 2003,[91] that "it is clear that Iran has failed in a number of instances over an extended period of time to meet its obligations under its Safeguards Agreement with respect to the reporting of nuclear material and its processing and use, as well as the declaration of facilities where such material has been processed and stored." Sony PCG-7171L Battery
Sony PCG-7172L Battery Iran was obligated to inform the IAEA of its importation of uranium from China and subsequent use of that material in uranium conversion and enrichment activities. It was also obligated to report to the IAEA experiments with the separation of plutonium. Sony PCG-41112L Battery
However, the Islamic Republic reneged on its promise to permit the IAEA to carry out their inspections and suspended the Additional Protocol agreement outlined above in October 2005.[92] Sony PCG-51111L Battery
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A comprehensive list of Iran's specific "breaches" of its IAEA safeguards agreement, which the IAEA described as part of a "pattern of concealment," can be found in the 15 November 2004, report of the IAEA on Iran's nuclear program.[93Sony PCG-51211L Battery
Sony PCG-81411L Battery] Iran attributes its failure to report certain acquisitions and activities on US obstructionism, which reportedly included pressuring the IAEA to cease providing technical assistance to Iran's uranium conversion program in 1983.[20][94] Sony PCG-51311L Battery
Sony PCG-81314L Battery On the question of whether Iran had a hidden nuclear weapons program, the IAEA's November 2003 report states that it found "no evidence" that the previously undeclared activities were related to a nuclear weapons program, but also that it was unable to conclude that Iran's nuclear program was exclusively peaceful. Sony PCG-51312L Battery
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In June 2004, construction was commenced on IR-40, a 40 MW heavy water reactor.
EU three
Under the terms of the Paris Agreement[dead link], on 14 November 2004, Iran's chief nuclear negotiator announced a voluntary and temporary suspension of its uranium enrichment program (enrichment is not a violation of the NPT) Sony PCG-51412L Battery
Sony PCG-81312L Battery and the voluntary implementation of the Additional Protocol, after pressure from the United Kingdom, France, and Germany acting on behalf of the European Union (EU, known in this context as the EU-3). Sony PCG-51511L Battery
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The measure was said at the time to be a voluntary, confidence-building measure, to continue for some reasonable period of time (six months being mentioned as a reference) as negotiations with the EU-3 continued. On 24 November, Sony PCG-61412L Battery
Sony PCG-81311L BatteryIran sought to amend the terms of its agreement with the EU to exclude a handful of the equipment from this deal for research work. This request was dropped four days later. According to Seyyed Hossein Mousavian, one of the Iranian representatives to the Paris Agreement negotiations, Sony PCG-71111L Battery
Sony PCG-81214L Battery the Iranians made it clear to their European counterparts that Iran would not consider a permanent end to uranium enrichment:
Before the Paris [Agreement] text was signed, Dr Rohani ... stressed that they should be committed neither to speak nor even think of a cessation any more. Sony PCG-81111L Battery
Sony PCG-81114L Battery The ambassadors delivered his message to their foreign ministers prior to the signing of the Paris agreed text ... The Iranians made it clear to their European counterparts that if the latter sought a complete termination of Iran's nuclear fuel-cycle activities, Sony PCG-81112L Battery
Sony PCG-81113L Battery there would be no negotiations. The Europeans answered that they were not seeking such a termination, only an assurance on the non-diversion of Iran's nuclear programme to military ends.[95] Dell XPS 14 Battery
In February 2005, Iran pressed the EU-3 to speed up talks, which the EU-3 refused to do so.[96] The talks made little progress because of the divergent positions of the two sides.[97] Under pressure from US the European negotiators could not agree to allow enrichment on Iranian soil. Dell XPS 14D-L401X Battery
Although Iranians presented an offer, which included voluntary restrictions on the enrichment volume and output, it was rejected. The EU-3 broke a commitment hey had made to recognize Iran's right under NPT to the peaceful use of nuclear energy.[98] Dell XPS 15 Battery
In early August 2005, after the June election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as Iran's President, Iran removed seals on its uranium enrichment equipment in Isfahan,[99] which UK officials termed a "breach of the Paris Agreement"[1Dell XPS 15D Battery
Dell Inspiron N4010 Battery00] though a case can be made that the EU violated the terms of the Paris Agreement by demanding that Iran abandon nuclear enrichment.[101] Several days later, the EU-3 offered Iran a package in return for permanent cessation of enrichment. Reportedly, it included benefits in the political, trade and nuclear fields, Dell XPS 15-L502X Battery
Dell Inspiron N3010 Batteryas well as long-term supplies of nuclear materials and assurances of non-aggression by the EU (but not the US).[100] Mohammad Saeedi, the deputy head of Iran's atomic energy organization rejected the offer, terming it "very insulting and humiliating"[100] and other independent analysts characterized the EU offer as an "empty box"[dead link]. Dell XPS 15Z Battery
Dell Inspiron N3010R Battery Iran's announcement that it would resume enrichment preceded the election of Iranian President Ahmadinejad by several months. The delay in restarting the program was to allow the IAEA to re-install monitoring equipment. Dell XPS 17 Battery
Dell Inspiron N5010R BatteryThe actual resumption of the program coincided with the election of President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, and the appointment of Ali Larijani as the chief Iranian nuclear negotiator.[102] Dell XPS L702X Battery
Around 2005, Germany refused to export any more nuclear equipment or refund money paid by Iran for such equipment in the 1980s.[63] (See European reactions 1979–89.)
In August 2005, with the assistance of Pakistan[103Dell XPS 17-L701X Battery
Dell Inspiron N5110 Battery] a group of US government experts and international scientists concluded that traces of bomb-grade uranium found in Iran came from contaminated Pakistani equipment and were not evidence of a clandestine nuclear weapons program in Iran.[104] In September 2005,
Dell Inspiron N7010D Battery IAEA Director General Mohammad ElBaradei reported that "most" highly enriched uranium traces found in Iran by agency inspectors came from imported centrifuge components, validating Iran's claim that the traces were due to contamination. Sources in Vienna and the State Department reportedly stated that, for all practical purposes, the HEU issue has been resolved. Dell XPS 17-L702X Battery
In a speech to the United Nations on 17 September 2005, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad suggested that Iran’s enrichment might be managed by an international consortium, with Iran sharing ownership with other countries. The offer was rejected out of hand by the EU and the United States.[98] Dell XPS L501X Battery
The IAEA Board of Governors deferred a formal decision on Iran's nuclear case for two years after 2003, while Iran continued cooperation with the EU-3. On 24 September 2005, after Iran abandoned the Paris Agreement, the Board found that Iran had been in non-compliance with its safeguards agreement, based largely on facts that had been reported as early as November 2003.[105]
On 4 February 2006, the 35 member Board of Governors of the IAEA voted 27–3 (with five abstentions: Algeria, Belarus, Indonesia, Libya and South Africa) to report Iran to the UN Security Council. The measure was sponsored by the United Kingdom, France and Germany, and it was backed by the United States. Dell XPS L502X Battery
Dell Inspiron N4020 Battery Two permanent council members, Russia and China, agreed to referral only on condition that the council take no action before March. The three members who voted against referral were Venezuela, Syria and Cuba.[106][107Dell XPS L701X Battery
Dell Inspiron 14V Battery] In response, on 6 February 2006, Iran suspended its voluntary implementation of the Additional Protocol and all other voluntary and non-legally binding cooperation with the IAEA beyond what is required by its safeguards agreement.[108] Dell Inspiron N7010 Battery
In late February 2006, IAEA Director Mohammad El-Baradei raised the suggestion of a deal, whereby Iran would give up industrial-scale enrichment and instead limit its program to a small-scale pilot facility, and agree to import its nuclear fuel from Russia (see nuclear fuel bank). The Iranians indicated that while they would not be willing to give up their right to enrichment in principle, they were willing to[1Dell Inspiron 17R Battery
Dell Latitude E6400 XFR Battery09] consider the compromise solution. However, in March 2006, the Bush Administration made it clear that they would not accept any enrichment at all in Iran.[110]
The IAEA Board of Governors deferred the formal report to the UN Security Council of Iran's non-compliance (such a report is required by Article XII.C of the IAEA Statute),[ Dell Inspiron 15R Battery
Dell Latitude E6400 ATG Battery111] until 27 February 2006.[112] The Board usually makes decisions by consensus, but in a rare non-consensus decision it adopted this resolution by vote, with 12 abstentions.[113][114] Dell Inspiron N5010D Battery
On 11 April 2006, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced that Iran had successfully enriched uranium. President Ahmadinejad made the announcement in a televised address from the northeastern city of Mashhad, Dell Inspiron N5010 Battery
where he said "I am officially announcing that Iran joined the group of those countries which have nuclear technology." The uranium was enriched to 3.5% using over a hundred centrifuges.
On 13 April 2006, after US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said (on 12 April 2006) the Security Council must consider "strong steps" to induce Tehran to change course in its nuclear ambition; Dell Inspiron N4110 Battery
Dell Latitude E6500 BatteryPresident Ahmadinejad vowed that Iran will not back away from uranium enrichment and that the world must treat Iran as a nuclear power, saying "Our answer to those who are angry about Iran achieving the full nuclear fuel cycle is just one phrase. We say: Be angry at us and die of this anger," because "We won't hold talks with anyone about the right of the Iranian nation to enrich uranium."[115] Dell Inspiron 13R Battery
Dell Latitude E6420 ATG Battery
On 14 April 2006, The Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) published a series of analyzed satellite images of Iran's nuclear facilities at Natanz and Esfahan.[116] Featured in these images is a new tunnel entrance near the Uranium Conversion Facility (UCF) Dell Latitude E4200 Battery
Dell Latitude E6420 Battery at Esfahan and continued construction at the Natanz uranium enrichment site. In addition, a series of images dating back to 2002 shows the underground enrichment buildings and its subsequent covering by soil, concrete, and other materials. Both facilities were already subject to IAEA inspections and safeguards. Dell Latitude E4300 Battery
Iran responded to the demand to stop enrichment of uranium 24 August 2006, offering to return to the negotiation table but refusing to end enrichment.[117]
Qolam Ali Hadad-adel, speaker of Iran's parliament, said on 30 August 2006, that Iran had the right to "peaceful application of nuclear technology and all other officials agree with this decision,"
Dell Latitude E6410 Batteryaccording to the semi-official Iranian Students News Agency. "Iran opened the door to negotiations for Europe and hopes that the answer which was given to the nuclear package would bring them to the table."[117] Dell Latitude E4310 Battery
In Resolution 1696 of 31 July 2006, the United Nations Security Council demanded that Iran suspend all enrichment and reprocessing related activities.[118]
In UN Security Council Resolution 1737 of 26 December 2006, the Council imposed a series of sanctions on Iran for its non-compliance with the earlier Security Council resolution deciding that Iran suspend enrichment-related activities without delay.[119Dell Latitude E5400 Battery
Dell Latitude E6320 Battery] These sanctions were primarily targeted against the transfer of nuclear and ballistic missile technologies[120] and, in response to concerns of China and Russia, were lighter than that sought by the United States.[121] Dell Latitude E5420 Battery
Dell Latitude E6220 BatteryThis resolution followed a report from the IAEA that Iran had permitted inspections under its safeguards agreement but had not suspended its enrichment-related activities.[122]
2007–present[edit source | editbeta]
UN Security Council[edit source | editbeta]
The UN Security Council has passed seven resolutions on Iran:
Resolution 1696 (31 July 2006) demanded that Iran suspend its uranium enrichment activities, invoking Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter to make that demand legally binding on Iran.
Resolution 1737 (23 December 2006) Dell Latitude E5500 Battery
Dell Latitude E5520 Battery imposed sanctions after Iran refused to suspend its enrichment activities, cutting off nuclear cooperation, demanding that Iran cooperate with the IAEA, and freezing the assets of a number of persons and organizations linked to Iran's nuclear and missile programs. It established a committee to monitor sanctions implementation.[123] Dell Latitude E6410 ATG Battery
Resolution 1747 (24 March 2007) expanded the list of sanctioned Iranian entities and welcomed the proposal by the permanent five members of the Security Council plus Germany for resolving issues regarding Iran's nuclear program. Dell Latitude E6210 Battery
In resolution 1803 (3 March 2008), the Council decided to extend those sanctions to additional persons and entities, impose travel restrictions on sanctioned persons, and bar exports of nuclear- and missile-related dual-use goods to Iran.[124] Dell Latitude E6230 Battery
Dell Latitude E6430S XFR Battery
Resolution 1835 (27 September 2008) reaffirmed the preceding four resolutions, the only one of the seven not to invoke Chapter VII.
Resolution 1929 (9 June 2010) imposed a complete arms embargo on Iran, banned Iran from any activities related to ballistic missiles, authorized the inspection and seizure of shipments violating these restrictions, and extended the asset freeze to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL). Dell Latitude E6330 Battery
Dell Latitude E6430 ATG Battery The resolution passed by a vote of 12–2, with Turkey and Brazil voting against and Lebanon abstaining. A number of countries imposed measures to implement and extend these sanctions, including the United States, the European Union, Australia,[125] Canada,[126] Japan,[127] Norway,[128] South Korea,[129] and Russia.[130] Dell Latitude E5520 Battery
Resolution 1984 (8 June 2011) extended for a further 12 months the mandate of the Panel of Experts established by Resolution 1929.
International Atomic Energy Agency[edit source | editbeta]
The IAEA has consistently stated it is unable to conclude that Iran's nuclear program is entirely peaceful. Such a conclusion would normally be drawn only for countries that have an Additional Protocol in force.
Dell Latitude E6430 Battery Iran ceased its implementation of the Additional Protocol in 2006, and also ceased all other cooperation with the IAEA beyond what Iran acknowledges it is required to provide under its safeguards agreement, after the IAEA Board of Governors decided, in February 2006, to report Iran's safeguards non-compliance to the UN Security Council.[108Dell Latitude E5430 Battery
Dell Latitude E5530 Battery] The UN Security Council, invoking Chapter VII of the UN Charter, then passed Resolution 1737, which obligated Iran to implement the Additional Protocol. Iran responded that its nuclear activities were peaceful and that Security Council involvement was malicious and unlawful.[131Sony VGP-BPL12 Battery
Sony VGP-BPS14/S Battery] In August 2007, Iran and the IAEA entered into an agreement on the modalities for resolving remaining outstanding issues,[132] and made progress in outstanding issues except for the question of "alleged studies" of weaponization by Iran.[13Sony VGP-BPL13 Battery
Sony VGP-BPS14B Battery3] Iran says it did not address the alleged studies in the IAEA work plan because they were not included in the plan.[134] The IAEA has not detected the actual use of nuclear material in connection with the alleged studies and says it regrets it is unable to provide Iran with copies of the documentation concerning the alleged studies,
but says the documentation is comprehensive and detailed so that it needs to be taken seriously. Iran says the allegations are based on "forged" documents and "fabricated" data, and that it has not received copies of the documentation to enable it to prove that they were forged and fabricated.[135][136] Sony VGP-BPL14/B Battery
Since 2011, the IAEA has voiced growing concern over possible military dimensions to Iran's nuclear program, and has released a number of reports chastising Iran's nuclear program to that effect.[137] Sony VGP-BPL14/S Battery
February 2007 Report[edit source | editbeta]
In February 2007, anonymous diplomats at the atomic energy agency reportedly complained that most U.S. intelligence shared with the IAEA had proved inaccurate, and none had led to significant discoveries inside Iran.[138] Sony VGP-BPS8 Battery
On 10 May 2007, Iran and the IAEA vehemently denied reports that Iran had blocked IAEA inspectors when they sought access to the Iran's enrichment facility. On 11 March 2007, Reuters quoted International Atomic Energy Agency spokesman Marc Vidricaire, Sony VGP-BPS10 Battery
Sony VGP-BPS14 Battery "We have not been denied access at any time, including in the past few weeks. Normally we do not comment on such reports but this time we felt we had to clarify the matter ... If we had a problem like that we would have to report to the [35-nation IAEA governing] board ... That has not happened because this alleged event did not take place."[13Sony VGP-BPS11 Battery
May 2007 Report[edit source | editbeta]
On 30 July 2007, inspectors from the IAEA spent five hours at the Arak complex, the first such visit since April. Visits to other plants in Iran were expected during the following days. It has been suggested that access may have been granted in an attempt to head off further sanctions.[140
August 2007 Report and Agreement between Iran and the IAEA[edit source | editbeta]
An IAEA report to the Board of Governors on 30 August 2007, stated that Iran's Fuel Enrichment Plant at Natanz is operating "well below the expected quantity for a facility of this design," and that 12 of the intended 18 centrifuge cascades at the plant were operating. Sony VGP-BPS12 Battery
Sony VGP-BPS13B/Q Battery The report stated that the IAEA had "been able to verify the non-diversion of the declared nuclear materials at the enrichment facilities in Iran," and that longstanding issues regarding plutonium experiments and HEU contamination on spent fuel containers were considered "resolved." Sony VGP-BPS12/Q Battery
Sony VGP-BPS13B/S Battery However, the report added that the Agency remained unable to verify certain aspects relevant to the scope and nature of Iran's nuclear program. Sony VGP-BPS13 Battery
The report also outlined a work plan agreed by Iran and the IAEA on 21 August 2007. The work plan reflected agreement on "modalities for resolving the remaining safeguards implementation issues, including the long outstanding issues." Sony VGP-BPS13A/B Battery
According to the plan, these modalities covered all remaining issues regarding Iran's past nuclear program and activities.
Sony VGP-BPS13/B Battery The IAEA report described the work plan as "a significant step forward," but added "the Agency considers it essential that Iran adheres to the time line defined therein and implements all the necessary safeguards and transparency measures, including the measures provided for in the Additional Protocol."[14 Sony VGP-BPS13B/B Battery1] Although the work plan did not include a commitment by Iran to implement the Additional Protocol, IAEA safeguards head Olli Heinonen observed that measures in the work plan "for resolving our outstanding issues go beyond the requirements of the Additional Protocol."[142] Sony VGP-BPS15 Battery
According to Reuters, the report was likely to blunt Washington's push for more severe sanctions against Iran. One senior UN official familiar said U.S. efforts to escalate sanctions against Iran would provoke a nationalistic backlash by Iran that would set back the IAEA investigation in Iran.[143] In late October 2007, Sony VGP-BPS15/B Battery
Sony VGP-BPS21/S Batterychief IAEA inspector Olli Heinonen described Iranian cooperation with the IAEA as "good," although much remained to be done.[144]
In late October 2007, according to the International Herald Tribune, the head of the IAEA, Mohamed ElBaradei, stated that he had seen "no evidence" of Iran developing nuclear weapons.
Sony VGP-BPS21B BatteryThe IHT quoted ElBaradei as saying "We have information that there has been maybe some studies about possible weaponization. That's why we have said that we cannot give Iran a pass right now, because there is still a lot of question marks ... . But have we seen Iran having the nuclear material that can readily be used into a weapon? No. Have we seen an active weaponization program?
Sony VGP-BPS21A Battery No." The IHT report went on to say that "ElBaradei said he was worried about the growing rhetoric from the U.S., which he noted focused on Iran's alleged intentions to build a nuclear weapon rather than evidence the country was actively doing so. If there is actual evidence, ElBaradei said he would welcome seeing it."[14Sony VGP-BPS15/S Battery
5]
November 2007 report[edit source | editbeta]
The 15 November 2007, IAEA report found that on nine outstanding issues listed in the August 2007 workplan, including experiments on the P-2 centrifuge and work with uranium metals, "Iran's statements are consistent with Sony SVS13AA11L Battery
Sony PCG-41414L Battery... information available to the agency," but it warned that its knowledge of Tehran's present atomic work was shrinking due to Iran's refusal to continue voluntarily implementing the Additional Protocol, Sony SVS131A11L Battery
Sony PCG-41413L Batteryas it had done in the past under the October 2003 Tehran agreement and the November 2004 Paris agreement. The only remaining issues were traces of HEU found at one location, and allegations by US intelligence agencies based on a laptop computer allegedly stolen from Iran which reportedly contained nuclear weapons-related designs. Sony SVS131B11L Battery
Sony PCG-41412L Battery The IAEA report also stated that Tehran continues to produce LEU. Iran has declared it has a right to peaceful nuclear technology under the NPT, despite Security Council demands that it cease its nuclear enrichment.[146] Sony SVS151A11L Battery
On 18 November 2007, President Ahmadinejad announced that he intended to consult with other Arab nations on a plan, under the auspices of the Gulf Cooperation Council, to enrich uranium in a neutral third country, such as Switzerland.[147] Sony SVS151B11L Battery
Israel criticised IAEA reports on Iran as well as the former IAEA-director ElBaradei. Israel's Minister of Strategic Affairs Avigdor Lieberman dismissed reports by the UN nuclear watchdog agency as being "unacceptable" and accused IAEA head ElBaradei of being "pro-Iranian".[148]
February 2008 report[edit source | editbeta] Sony SVS151G1GL Battery
On 11 February 2008, news reports stated that the IAEA report on Iran's compliance with the August 2007 work plan would be delayed over internal disagreements over the report's expected conclusions that the major issues had been resolved.[149] Sony PCG-4121DL Battery
French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner stated that he would meet with IAEA Director Mohammed ElBaradei to convince him to "listen to the West" and remind him that the IAEA is merely in charge of the "technical side" rather than the "political side" of the issue.[1
50] A senior IAEA official denied the reports of internal disagreements and accused Western powers of using the same "hype" tactics employed against Iraq before the 2003 U.S.-led invasion to justify imposing further sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program.[151] Sony PCG-4121EL Battery
The IAEA issued its report on the implementation of safeguards in Iran on 22 February 2008.[152] With respect to the report, IAEA Director Mohammad ElBaradei stated that "We have managed to clarify all the remaining outstanding issues, including the most important issue, Sony PCG-4121FL Battery
Sony PCG-41214L Batterywhich is the scope and nature of Iran´s enrichment programme" with the exception of a single issue, "and that is the alleged weaponization studies that supposedly Iran has conducted in the past."[153]
According to the report, the IAEA shared intelligence with Iran recently provided by the US regarding "alleged studies" on a nuclear weaponization program. The information was allegedly obtained from a laptop computer smuggled out of Iran and provided to the US in mid-2004.[154]
Sony PCG-41212L Battery The laptop was reportedly received from a "longtime contact" in Iran who obtained it from someone else now believed to be dead.[1Sony PCG-4121GL Battery
Sony PCG-41211L Battery55] A senior European diplomat warned "I can fabricate that data," and argued that the documents look "beautiful, but is open to doubt".[155] The United States has relied on the laptop to prove that Iran intends to develop nuclear weapons.[1sony PCG-4R2L battery
55] In November 2007, the United States National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) believed that Iran halted an alleged active nuclear weapons program in fall 2003.[156] Iran has dismissed the laptop information as a fabrication, and other diplomats have dismissed the information as relatively insignificant and coming too late.[157] sony PCG-4R1L battery
The February 2008 IAEA report states that the Agency has "not detected the use of nuclear material in connection with the alleged studies, nor does it have credible information in this regard."[152] sony PCG-4Q3L battery
May 2008 report[edit source | editbeta]
On 26 May 2008, the IAEA issued another regular report on the implementation of safeguards in Iran.[158]
According to the report, the IAEA has been able to continue to verify the non-diversion of declared nuclear material in Iran, and Iran has provided the Agency with access to declared nuclear material and accountancy reports, as required by its safeguards agreement. sony PCG-4Q1L battery
Iran had installed several new centrifuges, including more advanced models, and environmental samples showed the centrifuges "continued to operate as declared", making low-enriched uranium. The report also noted that other elements of Iran's nuclear program continued to be subject to IAEA monitoring and safeguards as well, sony PCG-6X1L battery
sony PCG-6Z3L battery including the construction of the heavy water facility in Arak, the construction and use of hot cells associated with the Tehran Research Reactor, the uranium conversion efforts, and the Russian nuclear fuel delivered for the Bushehr reactor. sony PCG-6X2L battery
The report stated that the IAEA had requested, as a voluntary "transparency measure", to be allowed access to centrifuge manufacturing sites, but that Iran had refused the request. The IAEA report stated that Iran had also submitted replies to questions regarding "possible military dimensions" to its nuclear program, sony PCG-6X6L battery
sony PCG-6Z1L batterywhich include "alleged studies" on a so-called Green Salt Project, high-explosive testing and missile re-entry vehicles. According to the report, Iran's answers were still under review by the IAEA at the time the report was published. However, as part of its earlier "overall assessment" of the allegations, sony PCG-6X7L battery
sony PCG-6XBL batteryran had responded that the documents making the allegations were forged, not authentic, or referred to conventional applications.
The report stated that Iran may have more information on the alleged studies, which "remain a matter of serious concern", sony PCG-6X8L battery
sony PCG-6XAL batterybut that the IAEA itself had not detected evidence of actual design or manufacture by Iran of nuclear weapons or components. The IAEA also stated that it was not itself in possession of certain documents containing the allegations against Iran, and so was not able to share the documents with Iran. Sony PCG-61A11L Battery
September 2008 report[edit source | editbeta]
According to the 15 September 2008, IAEA report on the implementation of safeguards in Iran,[159] Iran continued to provide the IAEA with access to declared nuclear material and activities, Sony PCG-61A13L Battery
which continued to be operated under safeguards and with no evidence of any diversion of nuclear material for non-peaceful uses. Nevertheless, the report reiterated that the IAEA would not be able to verify the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program unless Iran adopted "transparency measures" which exceeded its safeguards agreement with the IAEA, Sony PCG-61A14L Battery
since the IAEA does not verify the absence of undeclared nuclear activities in any country unless the Additional Protocol is in force.
With respect to the report, IAEA Director Mohammad ElBaradei stated that "We have managed to clarify all the remaining outstanding issues, including the most important issue, which is the scope and nature of Iran's enrichment programme" with the exception of a single issue, "and that is the alleged weaponization studies that supposedly Iran has conducted in the past."[160] Sony PCG-71C11L Battery
According to the report, Iran had increased the number of operating centrifuges at its Fuel Enrichment Plant in Isfahan, and continued to enrich uranium. Contrary to some media reports which claimed that Iran had diverted uranium hexafluoride (UF6) for a renewed nuclear weapons program,[161
Sony PCG-91311L Battery] the IAEA emphasized that all of the uranium hexafluoride was under IAEA safeguards. This was re-iterated by IAEA spokesman Melissa Fleming, who characterized the report of missing nuclear material in Iran as being "fictitious".[162] Sony PCG-71C12L Battery
Sony PCG-91211L Battery Iran was also asked to clarify information about foreign assistance it may have received in connection with a high explosive charge suitable for an implosion type nuclear device. Iran stated that there had been no such activities in Iran.[159] Sony PCG-61714L Battery
The IAEA also reported that it had held a series of meetings with Iranian officials to resolve the outstanding issues including the "alleged studies" into nuclear weaponization which were listed in the May 2008 IAEA report. Sony PCG-61813L Battery
Sony PCG-71913L BatteryDuring the course of these meetings, the Iranians filed a series of written responses including a 117-page presentation which confirmed the partial veracity of some of the allegations, but which asserted that the allegations as a whole were based on "forged" documents and "fabricated" data, Sony PCG-61911L Battery
and that Iran had not actually received the documentation substantiating the allegations. According to the August 2007 "Modalities Agreement" between Iran and the IAEA, Iran had agreed to review and assess the "alleged studies" claims, as good faith gesture, "upon receiving all related documents".[163] Sony PCG-71614L Battery
Iran's ambassador to the IAEA, Ali Asghar Soltaniyeh, accused the United States of preventing the IAEA from delivering the documents about the alleged studies to Iran as required by the Modalities Agreement,
Sony PCG-71911L Batteryand stated that Iran had done its best to respond to the allegations but would not accept "any request beyond our legal obligation and particularly beyond the Work Plan, which we have already implemented."[164] Sony PCG-71713L Battery
While once again expressing "regret" that the IAEA was not able to provide Iran with copies of the documentation concerning the alleged studies, the report also urged Iran to provide the IAEA with "substantive information to support its statements and provide access to relevant documentation and individuals" regarding the alleged studies, as a "matter of transparency".[15Sony PCG-61713L Battery
9] The IAEA submitted a number of proposals to Iran to help resolve the allegations and expressed a willingness to discuss modalities that could enable Iran to demonstrate credibly that the activities referred to in the documentation were not nuclear-related, as Iran asserted, Sony PCG-91111L Battery
while protecting sensitive information related to its conventional military activities. The report does not indicate whether Iran accepted or rejected these proposals.[159]
The report also reiterated that IAEA inspectors had found "no evidence on the actual design or manufacture by Iran of nuclear material components of a nuclear weapon or of certain other key components, such as initiators, or on related nuclear physics studies .. Sony PCG-91112L Battery
Sony PCG-61316L Battery. Nor has the Agency detected the actual use of nuclear material in connection with the alleged studies" but insisted that the IAEA would not be able to formally verify the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program unless Iran had agreed to adopt the requested "transparency measures".[159] Sony PCG-71312L Battery
February 2009 report[edit source | editbeta]
In a 19 February 2009, report to the Board of Governors,[165] IAEA Director General ElBaradei reported that Iran continued to enrich uranium contrary to the decisions of the Security Council and had produced over a ton of low enriched uranium. Sony PCG-71311L Battery
Sony PCG-61312L Battery Results of environmental samples taken by the Agency at the FEP and PFEP5 indicated that the plants have been operating at levels declared by Tehran, "within the measurement uncertainties normally associated with enrichment plants of a similar throughput." Sony PCG-71218L Battery
Sony PCG-61311L BatteryThe Agency was also able to confirm there was no ongoing reprocessing related activities at Iran's Tehran Research Reactor and Xenon Radioisotope Production Facility.
According to the report, Iran also continued to refuse to provide design information or access to verify design information for its IR-40 heavy water research reactor. Sony PCG-71217L Battery
Sony PCG-61215L BatteryIran and the IAEA in February 2003 agreed to modify a provision in the Subsidiary Arrangement to its safeguards agreement (Code 3.1) to require such access.[166] Iran told the Agency in March 2007 that it "suspended" the implementation of the modified Code 3.1, which had been "accepted in 2003, Sony PCG-71313L Battery
Sony PCG-61211L Batterybut not yet ratified by the parliament", and that it would "revert" to the implementation of the 1976 version of Code 3.1.[167] The subsidiary arrangement may only be modified by mutual agreement.[168Sony PCG-71315L Battery
Sony PCG-71216L Battery] Iran says that since the reactor is not in a position to receive nuclear material the IAEA's request for access was not justified, and requested that the IAEA not schedule an inspection to verify design information.[165Sony PCG-71316L Battery
Sony PCG-71215L Battery] The Agency says its right to verify design information provided to it is a "continuing right, which is not dependent on the stage of construction of, or the presence of nuclear material at, a facility".[167] Sony PCG-71317L Battery
Regarding the "alleged studies" into nuclear weaponization, the Agency said that "as a result of the continued lack of cooperation by Iran in connection with the remaining issues which give rise to concerns about possible military dimensions of Iran's nuclear programme, the Agency has not made any substantive progress on these issues." Sony PCG-71318L Battery
The Agency called on member states which had provided information about the alleged programs to allow the information to be shared with Iran. The Agency said Iran's continued refusal to implement the Additional Protocol was contrary to the request of the Board of Governors and the Security Council. Sony PCG-71211L Battery
Sony PCG-71212L BatteryThe Agency was able to continue to verify the non-diversion of declared nuclear material in Iran.[169] Iran says that for the six years the Agency has been considering its case, the IAEA has not found any evidence to prove that Tehran is seeking a nuclear weapon.[170]
Regarding the IAEA report, Sony PCG-3B1L Battery
Sony PCG-3H4L Batteryseveral news reports suggested that Iran had failed to properly report the amount of low-enriched uranium it possessed because Iranian estimates did not match the IAEA inspector's findings, and that Iran now had enough uranium to make a nuclear bomb.[171][172] The reporting was widely criticized as unjustifiably provocative and hyped.[173][174Sony PCG-3B2L Battery
Sony PCG-3H3L Battery][175] In response to the controversy, IAEA spokesman Melissa Fleming asserted that the IAEA had no reason at all to believe that the estimates of low-enriched uranium produced by Iran were an intentional error, and that no nuclear material could be removed from the facility for further enrichment to make nuclear weapons without the agency's knowledge Sony PCG-3B3L Battery
Sony PCG-3H2L Batterysince the facility is subject to video surveillance and the nuclear material is kept under seal.[176]
Ali Asghar Soltaniyeh, Iran's Ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency, said the February report failed to "provide any new insight into Iran's nuclear program".[1Sony PCG-3B4L Battery
Sony PCG-3H1L Battery77] He asserted the report was written in a way which clearly causes misunderstanding in public opinion. He suggested the reports should be written to have a section about whether Iran has fulfilled its NPT obligations and a separate section for whether "fulfillment of Additional Protocol or sub-arrangements 1 and 3 are beyond the commitment or not".[178]
In a February 2009 press interview, IAEA Director Mohamed ElBaradei said Iran has low enriched uranium, but "that doesn't mean that they are going tomorrow to have nuclear weapons, because as long as they are under IAEA verification, as long as they are not weaponizing,
Sony PCG-3G3L Batteryyou know." ElBaradei continued that there is a confidence deficit with Iran, but that the concern should not be hyped and that "many other countries are enriching uranium without the world making any fuss about it".[179] Sony PCG-3C2L Battery
In February 2009 IAEA Director General reportedly said that he believed the possibility of a military attack on Iran's nuclear installations had been ruled out. "Force can only be used as a last option ... when all other political possibilities have been exhausted," he told Radio France International.[1
Sony PCG-3F4L Battery70][180] Former Director General Hans Blix criticized Western governments for the years lost by their "ineffective approaches" to Iran's nuclear program. Blix suggested the West offer "guarantees against attacks from the outside and subversive activities inside" and also Sony PCG-3C3L Battery
Sony PCG-3F3L Batterysuggested U.S. involvement in regional diplomacy "would offer Iran a greater incentive to reach a nuclear agreement than the Bush team's statements that 'Iran must behave itself'."[181]
June 2009 Report[edit source | editbeta]
August 2009 Report[edit source | editbeta]
In July 2009, Yukiya Amano, the in-coming head of the IAEA said: "I don't see any evidence in IAEA official documents" that Iran is trying to gain the ability to develop nuclear arms.[182]
In September 2009, IAEA Director General Mohamed El Baradei that Iran had broken the law by not disclosing its second uranium enrichment site at Qom sooner. Nevertheless, he said, the United Nations did not have credible evidence that Iran had an operational nuclear program.[183]
November 2009 Report[edit source | editbeta]
In November 2009, the IAEA's 35-nation Board of Governors overwhelmingly backed a demand of the U.S., Russia, China, and three other powers that Iran immediately stop building its newly revealed nuclear facility and freeze uranium enrichment. Sony PCG-3D3L Battery
Sony PCG-3D4L Battery Iranian officials shrugged off approval of the resolution by 25 members of the Board, but the U.S. and its allies hinted at new UN sanctions if Iran remained defiant.[184]
February 2010 Report[edit source | editbeta]
In February 2010, the IAEA issued a report scolding Iran for failing to explain purchases of sensitive technology as well as secret tests of high-precision detonators and modified designs of missile cones to accommodate larger payloads. Such experiments are closely associated with atomic warheads.[185] Sony PCG-9Z1L Battery
May 2010 Report[edit source | editbeta]
In May 2010, the IAEA issued a report that Iran had declared production of over 2.5 metric tons of low-enriched uranium, which would be enough if further enriched to make two nuclear weapons, Sony PCG-9Z2L Battery
Sony PCG-8141L Battery and that Iran has refused to answer inspectors’ questions on a variety of activities, including what the agency called the “possible military dimensions” of Iran's nuclear program.[186][187] Sony PCG-7142L Battery
In July 2010, Iran barred two IAEA inspectors from entering the country. The IAEA rejected Iran's reasons for the ban and said it fully supported the inspectors, which Tehran has accused of reporting wrongly that some nuclear equipment was missing.[188] Sony PCG-7152L Battery
In August 2010, the IAEA said Iran has started using a second set of 164 centrifuges linked in a cascade, or string of machines, to enrich uranium to up to 20% at its Natanz pilot fuel enrichment plan.[189]
Sony PCG-7184L BatteryIn November 2011 the IAEA released a report[190] stating inspectors had found credible evidence that Iran had been conducting experiments aimed at designing a nuclear bomb until 2003, and that research may have continued on a smaller scale after that time.[191] Sony PCG-7153L Battery
IAEA Director Yukiya Amano said evidence gathered by the agency "indicates that Iran has carried out activities relevant to the development of a nuclear explosive device."[192] A number of Western nuclear experts stated there was very little new in the report,[11] and that media reports had exaggerated its significance. Sony PCG-7154L Battery
Sony PCG-7183L Battery [12] Iran charged that the report was unprofessional and unbalanced, and had been prepared with undue political influence primarily by the United States.[193]
In November 2011, IAEA officials identified a "large explosive containment vessel" inside Parchin.[194] The IAEA later assessed that Iran has been conducting experiments to develop nuclear weapons capability.[195] Sony PCG-7161L Battery
The IAEA Board of Governors passed a resolution[196] by a vote of 32–2 that expressed "deep and increasing concern" over the possible military dimensions to Iran's nuclear program and calling it "essential" that Iran provide additional information and access to the IAEA.[9][1Sony PCG-7162L Battery
Sony PCG-7181L Battery97] The United States welcomed the resolution and said it would step up sanctions to press Iran to change course.[198] In response to the IAEA resolution, Iran threatened to reduce its cooperation with the IAEA, though Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi played down talk of withdrawal from the NPT or the IAEA.[199] Sony PCG-7171L Battery
February 2012 report[edit source | editbeta]
On 24 February 2012, IAEA Director General Amano reported to the IAEA Board of Governors that high-level IAEA delegations had met twice with Iranian officials to intensify efforts to resolve outstanding issues, but that major differences remained and Iran did not grant IAEA requests for access to the Parchin site, Sony PCG-7173L Battery
Sony PCG-7174L Batterywhere the IAEA believes high-explosives research pertinent to nuclear weapons may have taken place. Iran dismissed the IAEA's report on the possible military dimensions to its nuclear program as based on "unfounded allegations." Amano called on Iran to agree to a structure approach, Sony PCG-61412L Battery
based on IAEA verification practices, to resolve outstanding issues.[200] In March 2012, Iran said it would allow another inspection at Parchin "when an agreement is made on a modality plan."[201][202] Not long after, it was reported that Iran might not consent to unfettered access.[203] An ISIS study of satellite imagery claimed to have identified an explosive site at Parchin.[204] Sony PCG-71111L Battery