Concerns over the Russia-backed reactor are misplaced. If Iran wants a nuclear weapon it will develop one away from prying eyes.
In loading rods containing 80 tonnes of low-enriched uranium fuel into the 1000-megawatt light-water reactor at Bushehr, Russia’s state-owned Rosatom nuclear corporation is launching Iran into an elite rank of countries possessing a civilian nuclear energy programme. But although Moscow’s move will likely result in Bushehr generating nuclear power by the end of this year, much of the considerable media criticism heaped on the move is in fact misplaced.
The fact is Iran won’t use the Bushehr nuclear reactor to manufacture nuclear weapons and at this point, the plant’s imminent start-up will contribute little to any ambitions Tehran might have in this regard. While the reactor’s operation will certainly enhance Iranians’ nuclear knowledge and experience, the real problem lies elsewhere—in Iran’s indigenous fuel-making activities, its unsafeguarded nuclear plants, and the likely existence of secret nuclear sites in Iran not under foreign supervision.
Russia has sought to leverage its role in Bushehr to discourage Tehran from pursuing nuclear weapons, and Iranians have complained for years about the construction delays at the plant. In the past, Russian officials have cited late payments from Iranian clients, problems of integrating the outdated foreign equipment present at Bushehr with Russia’s own technologies, and other logistical problems for the frequent work stoppages. Iranian representatives for their part dismissed such excuses, instead suggesting that Moscow has deliberately delayed the reactor’s start up to avoid antagonizing Western governments opposed to the project.
They’re probably right.
Since the disturbing revelations in 2002 and 2003 about the extent of Iran’s covert nuclear program, the Russian government has employed a mixture of engagement and pressure to constrain Iran’s nuclear activities. Despite Russian denials, this pressure has included slowing down construction at Bushehr—the main Russian carrot—and drawing out negotiations to provide Iran with fuel for the reactor, as well as Russia’s more publicized support for several UN Security Council resolutions that have criticized Iran’s nuclear activities and imposed sanctions on Tehran after Iranian officials ignored UN demands to suspend these activities.
To impede Iran from using Bushehr to advance any nuclear weapons ambitions, Russian negotiators adamantly insisted that Iran use Russian-made fuel for the reactor, rather than produce its own, and return the used fuel rods to Russia (such ‘spent’ fuel contains plutonium, which technicians can separate and use to manufacture nuclear weapons).
Meanwhile, Russian policymakers denied Iranian requests to purchase additional uranium enrichment technologies that Iran could use to produce its own fuel. Russian officials argued that since Russia was supplying fuel for Bushehr and is prepared to sell fuel for any other Iranian reactors, Iran had no need to make its own through nuclear enrichment. In addition to producing reactor fuel, uranium enrichment can be used to make the fissile material core needed to explode a nuclear warhead.
Although Russia began shipping uranium fuel to Iran’s Bushehr reactor in December 2007, Russian officials still argued that the deliveries meant that Iran had no logical economic reasons to make its own fuel since Russian suppliers would provide it, obviating Iran’s need to construct its own costly nuclear enrichment, storage, and reprocessing facilities. The Russian government cited this consideration when justifying voting in favour of four rounds of sanctions on Iran in the UN Security Council, including the latest resolution on June 9.
Photo Credit: Iranian President's Office
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Will Santiago
Only 5% of the Jews are semitic or of original Jewish genetic stock, the rest are from Khazars from the russian steppes , where Jews from the disapora in europe intertbred with which is commonly known as the Khazar conversion. The original Jewish tribe were basically a wandering band of Neanderthals mixed in with a smidgen of modern human genes. Remember Esau as stated in the bible as having been born with reddish hair all over his body and always having the smell of rotting potatoes,classic neanderthal characteristics. This explains their hyper agressiveness and their influence in the world which far more can be justified based on their numbers, the U.S. is pratically a Zionist occupied country now. The Jews on wall street have hijacked the american economy and looted over $13 trillion dollars from the american people , have manuvered the country into an unwinnable war against Muslims and also to try and destroy China for their support of Islamic countries. This will eventually bring about the destruction of America as they did to Germany , particularly after WWI , we are already on the precipice now and all roads we are on will lead to ruin. The Jew is a vile and despicable genetic abberation and the sooner we rid the world of this filthy virus , we will be better off. Americans need to rise up and expel the Jewish influence and take back the money they have stolen from the american people, this is why our economy is in ruins. Let the muslim world do what needs to be done as to the final solution or we will be destroyed as well for supporting them. I have seen first hand the vile and despised nature of the Jewish sub-human trash and even a casual observer with a modest knowledge of anthropology can see them for what they are. If looked at from a religious perspective , how would you trust a people that would betray the son of god to the romans to crucify. We must exterminate this vermin once and for all with extreme prejudice because if we don’t do it the muslims and chinese will even if they have to destroy us to get to them , people we are running out of time. If we ignore this History will record how a sole superpower fell into ruin by allowing the vile Jews to take us down the road to perdition with them.
Jacob
“Iran has every right in the world to make its own reactor fuel, and denying the technology necessary to do so is itself a blatant violation of the NPT.”
I’m not too familiar with the specific provisions of the NPT, but Iran has shown the utmost of contempt for the international community. They have blatantly ignored all the restraint that other countries have demonstrated when it comes to nuclear technology. As a result, there’s really no reason to trust their intentions.
Logan
@hass….You do realize that Iran agreed to the NPT only to blatantly break the agreement and use the nuclear technology and information provided only because they signed the NPT and then using that info/technology to build a bomb.
Seriously, at least try to sound intelligent. You can’t claim to be allowed to enrich under NPT when you don’t adhere to the agreement you entered…..it’s quite simple actually.
hass
Iran has every right in the world to make its own reactor fuel, and denying the technology necessary to do so is itself a blatant violation of the NPT.