Russian officials have always insisted that their support for international efforts to induce Iran to end its nuclear enrichment activities is unrelated to their role in the Bushehr project, which they argue isn’t a proliferation threat since its activities are under the close supervision of Russia and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). As part of the deal, Iran has placed the reactor under Agency safeguards, which allows the IAEA to monitor the facility’s operations through remotely controlled measuring sensors and closed-circuit cameras. IAEA experts can also conduct on-site inspections at Bushehr.
As part of the deal, Rosatom technicians will remain on-site for several more years to train the Iranians, and would almost certainly notice any misconduct. Russian officials have also warned Tehran that any Iranian attempt to misuse or seize control of the reactor facility to make bombs would lead to a break in relations. And anyway, even if it tried, Iran currently lacks the reprocessing technologies or training to separate the spent fuel into weapons-grade plutonium.
In recent years, most foreign governments, including both the Bush and Obama administrations, have come to accept the logic of Russia’s position. Although not enthusiastic about Bushehr, they now concur with Moscow that if Iranians are determined to possess a nuclear power reactor, then it would be best if it were built, supplied, and supervised by Russia rather than by the Iranians themselves. US officials have also supported Moscow’s proposals to allow Iranians to conduct limited uranium enrichment activities, provided they do so under international control at a multinational nuclear fuel centre in Russia or some other foreign country. Russia has reciprocated the Western concessions regarding Bushehr by freezing implementation of its contract to sell advanced S-300 air defence missiles to Iran and by voting for more stringent sanctions on Iran (which have been designed not to infringe on Russia’s ability to meet its Bushehr contract).
Iranian officials have rejected proposals to rely on Russian-made fuel or multinational nuclear fuel centres to supply their entire nuclear programme—they claim not to trust the international community to provide them with guaranteed fuel deliveries or assured access to such centres. From this, they argue they need to have their own independent nuclear fuel programme.
But regardless, Iran’s present enrichment capabilities and supply of uranium are insufficient to produce enough reactor fuel for Bushehr, although they’re adequate enough to make a few nuclear bombs. Iran is also constructing a heavy-water reactor at Arak in western Iran that, unlike the light-water reactor at Bushehr, doesn’t require enriched uranium to run and could more easily be used to make weapons-grade plutonium.
Ultimately, if Iran is intent on building a nuclear weapon, it won’t do it at Bushehr or other facilities like the Natanz enrichment facility that are under IAEA supervision. Instead, it will design and build an atomic bomb at some clandestine facility such as the one exposed last September near Qom. That enrichment complex is remote and deeply buried, shielding it from foreign surveillance satellites and possible air strikes. From an Iranian point of view, this makes much more sense.
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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.