Iran is testing an improved third generation of indigenously co-developed enrichment centrifuges, the IR-3 series, demonstrating its technical mastery of the technology. It has 320 tons of uranium hexafluoride gas to feed its centrifuges, enough for almost 100 bombs, but not for even a fraction of one reactor refueling operation... [snip]
The IAEA has also recently reported that it has questions that Iran refuses to answer:
Why is Iran using high explosives to implode a hemispherical shell of heavy metal? The only known use for such tests is to perfect a lightweight nuclear bomb.... the advanced centrifuges will enable the Iranians to build about twice as many nuclear weapons a year with the current infrastructure than they otherwise could have done. If they add 6,000 machines to today's 3,000, the bomb-building potential is more than doubled again, but the peaceful utility of the plant is zero... [snip]
Why is Iran developing the kinds of detonators needed in an atomic weapon?
Why is Iran designing, or redesigning, a ballistic missile warhead so that it can contain a nuclear weapon?
Iran's right to nuclear fuel cycle technology ended when it began violating its safeguards agreement almost 20 years ago. And it is apparent that the real purpose of Iranian enrichment is to provide fuel for weapons, not reactors.
Peter D. Zimmerman, a nuclear physicist, is emeritus professor of science and security at King's College London
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