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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Satellite images raise doubts as to Iran’s nuclear program |
| 2004-06-24 |
| A newly obtained satellite image shows Iran has almost completely scraped clean a suspected nuclear site in Tehran, which Washington says is proof of an attempt to hide a weapons program. A satellite image from May 10, taken by the GlobalDigital satellite firm and provided to Reuters on Wednesday by the Institute for Science and International Security in Washington, shows clearly that Iran has almost completed the task of razing the Lavizan-Shiyan Technical Research Centre. Satellite photos from last August and last March showed Iran had been demolishing buildings and carting away topsoil from Lavizan, which the US said was proof Iran was trying to hide nuclear activities from the United Nations’ International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Tehran said last week that no nuclear activities had taken place at Lavizan. However, US officials pointed to the presence of a radiation detector - which a diplomat and a nuclear expert said a US firm had made and sold to Iran - as proof that nuclear activities were under way at the site. Comparing the images from May 10 and March 22, experts said it was clear that in less than two months Iran had nearly completed erasing the research centre. "What I see is the removal of roads and curbs and some vegetation," said Corey Hinderstein, deputy director of the Institute for Science and International Security. "These measures could make it more difficult for the IAEA to detect particles of significant [nuclear] material at the site if they were there before these measures were taken." The identification of the radiation detection device - called a whole body counter - as having been made by a Connecticut firm, Canberra Industries, could prove embarrassing to Washington, which has called on countries to crack down on exports of even seemingly innocent machinery that could be used in weapons programs. Last year the IAEA found particles of enriched uranium at sites in Iran, raising fears Tehran had been enriching uranium for use in nuclear weapons. Last year Iran carried out significant reconstruction work at the Kalaye Electric Company before letting UN inspectors take environmental samples. When the inspectors gained access after several months’ delay they found traces of highly enriched uranium. The US accused Iran of trying to sanitise the site before the arrival of UN inspectors. Last week Washington said Iran was doing the same at Lavizan. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |
| #3 causing even a dem admin to take military action... Not unless you think "surrender" counts as a military action. We ARE talking about a potential John F. "Negotiated with the Cong" Kerry administration. |
| Posted by: Robert Crawford 2004-06-24 1:25:43 PM |
| #2 i would say 2005 is the year planned for iran all along..and if Bush is not re-elected you gotta bet the asshats in iran will get a big dose of balls and do something really stupid...causing even a dem admin to take military action... |
| Posted by: Dan 2004-06-24 12:26:53 PM |
| #1 US turning up heat on Iran? Give back the Brits or we'll tell the world you have nukes and begin the process of pursuing a casus belli against you? After all you don't need to fight them straight away or even threaten them with war. Just threaten them with moving to stage one of the process towards war should be enough: still plenty of bargaining space. Not enough troops/homefront will for too many wars Bush gotta get re-elected: don't bite off too much before 2005, W. |
| Posted by: Anon1 2004-06-24 11:16:26 AM |