(New York Times) William J. Broad - Iran's surprise move this week to begin enriching its uranium to a level closer to weapons-grade violated an agreement with atomic inspectors in Vienna, diplomats said. The breach involved Iran's starting the enrichment process in the absence of atomic inspectors - something that the International Atomic Energy Agency had specifically asked Iran not to do. The amount of uranium now undergoing higher enrichment is minuscule compared with what Iran needs to fuel a reactor or, with greater enrichment, a bomb. But nuclear experts see the escalation as significant because the UN has called on Iran, instead of showing new proficiencies in enrichment, to halt its program altogether.
2010-02-12 07:30:57Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive