http://www.geostrategy-direct.com/
Satellite images confirm completion of heavy water plant WASHINGTON — Iran has virtually completed a heavy water plant at a site to be involved in the production of plutonium, a key element in nuclear weapons. A U.S. institute has released satellite images that point to the near completion of the Iranian heavy water plant at Arak. The Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security said the plant would contain a nuclear reactor that could eventually produce plutonium for one atomic bomb per year. "Adjacent to the reactor construction site [in Arak] is the heavy water production plant, which is almost completed and is anticipated to supply the necessary heavy water for the heavy water reactor," the institute said. Arak is located 240 kilometers south of Teheran. The institute said DigitalGlobe, a U.S. commercial satellite company, took the satellite images in February 2005. The images appear to confirm a report released last week by the International Atomic Energy Agency that asserted that Iran was advancing in the 40-megawatt heavy water research reactor project at Arak despite Teheran's stated commitment to end uranium enrichment. Teheran has acknowledged Arak, but said plutonium production was not meant for nuclear weapons. On Feb. 7, Iranian National Security Adviser Hassan Rowhani said Iran would be capable of producing heavy water within a few weeks. The institute did not assert that plutonium reprocessing had begun at Arak. Reprocessing involves the extraction of bomb-grade plutonium from a heavy water reactor. "No evidence of any reprocessing facilities can be seen in the satellite images," the institute said. But institute President David Albright said he has seen images that indicate that Iran has been testing the Arak plant. He said the images showed steam coming out of the facility. The Washington institute also released satellite images of the construction of a tunnel north of the Uranium Conversion Facility in Isfahan. The institute said the tunnel has two entrances, separated by less than half a kilometer. "Construction on the tunnel began in September or October 2004, and Iran is working very hard to finish the project," the institute said. "It appears too big to be only for storage [of nuclear material]. It might be intended to house production facilities for some uranium conversion processes. ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Give underprivileged students the materials they need to learn. Bring education to life by funding a specific classroom project. http://us.click.yahoo.com/FHLuJD/_WnJAA/cUmLAA/TySplB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------------------------- Brooks Isoldi, editor [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. OSINT, as a part of The Intelligence Network, is making it available without profit to OSINT YahooGroups members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of intelligence and law enforcement organizations, their activities, methods, techniques, human rights, civil liberties, social justice and other intelligence related issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. We believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
