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Reports: Iran converting some uranium to reactor fuel, lessening bomb fears

Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium is believed by Western negotiators and international inspectors to be of far lower purity than is required to make nuclear weapons. But, diplomats in Vienna said on Tuesday, enriched uranium converted into reactor fuel is more difficult to enrich to a higher degree of purity. “It’s a step away from weaponization,” one diplomat said, speaking in return for anonymity because he was not authorized to comment publicly.

Some analysts argue that, by slowing the growth of its stockpile, Tehran could delay the moment when it acquires sufficient 20 percent enriched uranium to trigger a response by Israel, which has signaled readiness to attack Iran’s nuclear sites.

The likely outcomes of the forthcoming sets of negotiations remain unclear.

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Well that’s a relief…just a simple misunderstanding.

trs on February 12, 2013 at 3:13 PM

Pointedly, no comment about the fact that plutonium, produced in the reactor, is MUCH more easily separated and turned into bomb material. No need for centrifuges. This is the whole point to the Iranian reactor program.

Just look at our program – uranium bombs followed by plutonium bombs followed by plutonium bombs being used to boost fusion bombs. They’re walking a proven path of weapons development.

Dubya Bee on February 12, 2013 at 3:19 PM

This assumes that Petraeus at CIA was keeping good track of exactly how much uranium Iran has.

sharrukin on February 12, 2013 at 3:20 PM

Ok, relax now and trust the islamic terrorist regime in Iran… (super extreme sarcasm)…

mnjg on February 12, 2013 at 3:21 PM

Good grief, does anyone with half a brain think that Iran doesn’t want nuclear weapons?

SC.Charlie on February 12, 2013 at 3:28 PM

Okay. So the Obama plan worked. Next on the agenda: let’s revisit those electric cars.

BKeyser on February 12, 2013 at 3:28 PM

Great Caesar’s ghost, North Korea now has the bomb and Iran is not too far behind. Thank you president Obama. Today we live a much more dangerous world, as you continue to dismantle our military. I am sure that you will be mentioning North Korea and Iran in your State of the Union speech tonight and how we will confront the growing instability in the Middle East./s

SC.Charlie on February 12, 2013 at 3:33 PM

But, diplomats in Vienna said on Tuesday, enriched uranium converted into reactor fuel is more difficult to enrich to a higher degree of purity. “It’s a step away from weaponization,” one diplomat said, speaking in return for anonymity because he was not authorized to comment publicly.

Wow, this is either weapons grade stupid, or intentionally misleading. Iran has built a heavy water fast breeder reactor (Arak) which is basically of the same size and type used by the United States to produce the Plutonium for our first hydrogen bomb.

But Iran’s plans worry many nuclear experts because it is building what is commonly known as a “breeder reactor”. Such reactors are efficient at quickly producing significant amounts of plutonium, particularly for military use.

Kile said the “breeder” design exceeds normal specifications for reactors generating plutonium for civilian uses. “The 40-megawatt heavy-water reactor at Arak is ideally suited for producing weapons-grade plutonium,” Kile said. “And, in fact, this is the type of reactor that was used by all of the [original] nuclear weapons states [the United States, Russia, Britain, France and China] in the early years of their nuclear programs.“

This is not a step back from weaponization, it’s practically a required step for weaponization.

SWalker on February 12, 2013 at 3:54 PM