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Is Iran Building a Third Enrichment Plant? - David Albright and Andrea Stricker

(Institute for Science and International Security) Has Iran begun building a third centrifuge plant in secret? It would not be the first time, as witnessed by Iran's past secret construction of the Natanz centrifuge site, the Kalaye Electric centrifuge research and development plant, and the deeply buried Fordow centrifuge facility. Since March 2007, Iran has taken the position that it does not have to notify the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) if it begins construction of a nuclear facility, but the IAEA says that Iran has a legal obligation to do so under its current safeguards agreement. Iran has taken the position that it can delay telling the IAEA about the construction of a nuclear facility until six months before the introduction of nuclear material. Thus, under Iran's interpretation of its safeguards obligations, Iran can essentially finish construction of a gas centrifuge plant before notifying the IAEA of its existence. It remains for Iran to provide the IAEA with advance information about its construction of additional enrichment facilities and to explain any current construction of a third enrichment site.
2012-06-05 00:00:00
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