The head of Iran’s atomic energy organization confirmed long spread rumors that Russia will help the nation build a nuclear reactor.
Akbar Salehi, head of the Iranian Atomic Energy Organization, announced Tuesday that he hopes to see the construction of the country’s second nuclear power station start in 2014 and that it will be lead “by the Russians.”
The plant is one of 34 potential new nuclear sites identified by the Iranian government.
Experts point out that Iran’s building of a new nuclear power plant would allow them more access to plutonium which can be used to fuel a nuclear weapon. Iran also continues to enrich uranium, another nuclear powered fuel.
The White House has asked Congress to not pass a new round of sanctions against Iran for the expansion of their nuclear program. House members said that because Iran has not slowed down their nuclear program the Congress should not slow down increasing sanctions.
Just days after reports that the country is about a month away from having enough material for a nuclear weapon, Iran has announced they are opening 34 new nuclear sites.
Iranian leaders, despite initial attempts at appearing to give ground at talks aimed at ending their nuclear program, boldly said they will build enough nuclear plants to generate 20,000 megawatts of electricity by 2020.
“We are considering construction of power plants along the coasts of the Persian Gulf and the Caspian Sea as well as the Central parts of Iran, but priority is given to the Persian Gulf coasts because we want to pave the way for water desalination facilities to supply drinking water for the Southern provinces of Iran,” said Iran Atomic Energy Organization head Ali Akbar Salehi.
Salehi also implied that those negotiating with western nations to end Iran’s nuclear program do not really have that authority.
Russia reportedly will be helping Iran build some of the reactors.
An estimate from one of America’s top nuclear experts says that Iran is about one month away from having a functional nuclear bomb.
The announcement came as the White House invited Senate staffers to a briefing asking them to delay sanctions against Iran for their refusal to end their nuclear program. Also, Iran has blocked international inspectors from suspected nuclear facilities in violation of agreements the nation has signed.
The Institute for Science and International Security said that the “breakout times”, or the time it takes to enrich uranium to weapons grade, is shortening every day in Iran. Iran’s stockpile of highly-enriched uranium has almost doubled in a year and the nation has built 7,000 more centrifuges in the last year to enrich the nuclear material.
The White House asked for all sanctions to be delayed until after a scheduled negotiation session in Geneva next month.
United Nations inspectors have previously found evidence of a weapons program in violation of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty despite Iran’s claim they are only enriching uranium for nuclear power.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has told NBC that his country will not produce nuclear weapons.
“We have never sought or pursued a nuclear bomb and we are not going to do so,” Rouhani said in an interview. Continue reading →
North Korea conducted a missile test over the weekend in another attempt to show defiance to the world’s sanctions.
A short-range guided missile was fired into the water off the eastern coast Sunday and three short-range missiles were fired in a test on Saturday. South Korea called the acts “provocations” but noted that no North Korea troops were moving toward the border. Continue reading →
North Korea has quietly removed two medium-range missile from their eastern coastline. U.S. officials state that this is possibly a sign of weakening hostility on the Korean peninsula despite no official word from Pyongyang that North Korea was lowering its military posture.
The missiles had been put in place to back up dictator Kim Jong-un’s declarations that North Korea would bomb South Korea, Japan or the United States because of United Nations sanctions placed after the North’s third nuclear bomb test. The North was also angry about joint South Korea/United States military drills despite the fact the drills happen every year. Continue reading →
North Korea, on the heels of announcing they are considering ending the armistice with South Korea after 60 years, vowed to exercise its right to launch a pre-emptive nuclear strike against the United States if the United Nations imposes more sanctions against the country.
“As long as the United States is willing to spark nuclear war our forces will exercise their right to a pre-emptive nuclear strike,” said North Korea’s foreign ministry. Continue reading →
Defying a resolution issued by the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday that condemned Pyongyang for test-firing a missile in December and tightened existing sanctions on the regime, North Korea’s National Defence Commission said the new nuclear test would be part of its action against the “sworn enemy of the Korean people”. Continue reading →
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is condemning Iran for the country’s refusal to suspend uranium enrichment despite repeated admonitions from the United Nations.
Thirty-one of the 35 members voted in favor of the resolution condemning Iran, who continues to claim their enrichment is peaceful in purpose. Continue reading →
American officials are stating that likelihood of conflict between Israel and Iran has “significantly decreased” after months of heightened tensions.
The threat of tighter economic sanctions is apparently leading Iranian officials to chance negotiating positions. The resumption of direct negotiations has also caused the toning down of rhetoric from all sides. Continue reading →