(New York Times) Steven Erlanger - Iran had agreed in October 2009 to send 2,645 pounds of low-enriched uranium to Russia and France to be manufactured into fuel rods - at the time about 75% of Iran's known stockpile of low-enriched uranium, which is enriched to between 3.5 and 5%. The deal was meant to leave Iran with less low-enriched uranium than it would need to build a bomb. But the deal fell apart because of disagreements in Iran, including the reported opposition of the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Today, Iran has known stockpiles of about 7,700 pounds of low-enriched uranium and about 90 pounds of uranium enriched to 19.75%, which is about halfway to bomb grade, officials said. So any new deal for a fuel swap will have to include much bigger amounts if it is to accomplish the same end of confidence-building.
2011-01-21 08:19:49Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive