dayman Posted November 4, 2012 Share Posted November 4, 2012 http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/nov/04/iran-suspend-uranium-enrichment Iran has suspended the enrichment of uranium stockpiles to the 20% purity needed to bring it a short step from building a nuclear device, news services in the region have reported. Mohammad Hossein Asfari, a member of parliament responsible for foreign policy and national security, was quoted as saying that the move was a "goodwill" gesture, aimed at softening Iran's position before a new round of scheduled talks with the United States after this week's presidential elections. Asfari said he hoped sanctions would be lifted in return for Iran's actions, otherwise it would resume the programme, according to a website belonging to the Al Arabiya news channel. Talks aimed at halting Iran's enrichment programme have made little progress, leading to the west tightening sanctions and increasing the prospect of military action by Israel. The Islamic republic's economy has plummeted in the grip of punitive economic measures and Tehran indicated earlier this month that it would be willing to negotiate. However, the offer to suspend enrichment required so many concessions that it was dismissed by the United States. Iran has a stockpile of 20% uranium weighing just over 90kg (200lb), according to an International Energy Agency watchdog report in August. Experts say between 200-250kg is needed for one nuclear device. Once uranium reaches 20% purity, it is close to becoming weapons grade. Experts have estimated it would take Iran another year to produce a warhead small enough to put on a missile. Tehran is said to have nearly completed a nuclear enrichment plan with the last of 3,000 uranium centrifuges installed at the underground site of Fordo, near the holy city of Qum. The machines were working at only half capacity, but the development was a crucial step in developing a nuclear device, the New York Times reported. Israel has drawn a "red line" in spring next year based on its own calculations, when it could launch a pre-emptive military strike to stop the programme. Iran has said it needs to refine uranium for civilian use, with the material converted to fuel rods used for medical isotopes to diagnose and treat illnesses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3rdnlng Posted November 4, 2012 Share Posted November 4, 2012 http://www.guardian....nium-enrichment Iran has suspended the enrichment of uranium stockpiles to the 20% purity needed to bring it a short step from building a nuclear device, news services in the region have reported. Mohammad Hossein Asfari, a member of parliament responsible for foreign policy and national security, was quoted as saying that the move was a "goodwill" gesture, aimed at softening Iran's position before a new round of scheduled talks with the United States after this week's presidential elections. Asfari said he hoped sanctions would be lifted in return for Iran's actions, otherwise it would resume the programme, according to a website belonging to the Al Arabiya news channel. Talks aimed at halting Iran's enrichment programme have made little progress, leading to the west tightening sanctions and increasing the prospect of military action by Israel. The Islamic republic's economy has plummeted in the grip of punitive economic measures and Tehran indicated earlier this month that it would be willing to negotiate. However, the offer to suspend enrichment required so many concessions that it was dismissed by the United States. Iran has a stockpile of 20% uranium weighing just over 90kg (200lb), according to an International Energy Agency watchdog report in August. Experts say between 200-250kg is needed for one nuclear device. Once uranium reaches 20% purity, it is close to becoming weapons grade. Experts have estimated it would take Iran another year to produce a warhead small enough to put on a missile. Tehran is said to have nearly completed a nuclear enrichment plan with the last of 3,000 uranium centrifuges installed at the underground site of Fordo, near the holy city of Qum. The machines were working at only half capacity, but the development was a crucial step in developing a nuclear device, the New York Times reported. Israel has drawn a "red line" in spring next year based on its own calculations, when it could launch a pre-emptive military strike to stop the programme. Iran has said it needs to refine uranium for civilian use, with the material converted to fuel rods used for medical isotopes to diagnose and treat illnesses. What's the point? I put Iran and Lucy on the same level of credibility. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim in Anchorage Posted November 4, 2012 Share Posted November 4, 2012 Bets on who Iran wants to win? Anybody? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duck_dodgers007 Posted November 4, 2012 Share Posted November 4, 2012 If Mitt wins we have yet another expensive war on our hands AND more tax cuts to "pay" for it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3rdnlng Posted November 4, 2012 Share Posted November 4, 2012 If Mitt wins we have yet another expensive war on our hands AND more tax cuts to "pay" for it! Please just crawl back under your rock, you jealous little boy you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IDBillzFan Posted November 4, 2012 Share Posted November 4, 2012 If Mitt wins we have yet another expensive war on our hands AND more tax cuts to "pay" for it! Which war is that specifically? The one we're going to re-start with Vietnam? And why do you since American casualties are just a "joke" to you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dayman Posted November 4, 2012 Author Share Posted November 4, 2012 (edited) http://www.guardian....nium-enrichment Iran's state media has denied reports that Tehran had suspended the enrichment of uranium at 20% in a goodwill gesture ahead of talks with the world's major powers. "Twenty percent uranium enrichment activities continue as before and no change has happened," the semi-official Fars news agency quoted an unnamed source as saying on Sunday. On Saturday night, Iranian MP Mohammad Hassan Asafari was misquoted by opposition websites and the Saudi-owned al-Arabiya as saying that Tehran had already stopped 20% enrichment. Asafari had only signalled in his comments to Iran's Isna news agency that Iran would be ready to temporarily stop enrichment to 20% if sanctions were lifted. Asafari on Sunday stepped forward to clarify. "The 20% enrichment has not been and will not be halted in Iran," he insisted, according to the website of the state's English-language television, Press TV. Asafari is a member of the parliamentary committee on national security and foreign policy. "Yet … as announced previously, Tehran is ready to temporarily supply its need for 20%-enriched uranium for its 5-megawatt Tehran [Research] Reactor from abroad if the sanctions are lifted," he said. • This article was corrected on 4 November 2012. An earlier version of this story ran with the headline "Iran suspends uranium enrichment" based on Asafari's quotes as reported by al-Arabiya. Sanctions exacerbate Iranian political strife: http://www.telegraph...c-policies.html Ahmadinejad's conservative rivals in the 290-seat assembly have harshly criticised his handling of an economic crisis that they blame as much on his mismanagement as on Western sanctions aimed at derailing Iran's disputed nuclear programme. Economic problems have seen the Iranian rial plummet and oil exports dwindle, exacerbating divisions within Iran's factionalised political system, despite calls from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei for officials to stop bickering. Last week, Khamenei renewed his demands for unity, saying public infighting amounted to a betrayal of the country. But the stern warning from Iran's most powerful leader has not stopped MPs hostile to Ahmadinejad from pressing ahead with a plan to question him publicly for a second time. On Sunday, according to a statement read in Parliament and printed by the parliamentary news agency, legislators said they planned to question Ahmadinejad on his administration's economic policies. Questions would focus on its response to the rial's fluctuations and what they said was the mistaken allocation of limited government-subsidised dollars, including for the import of thousands of foreign cars. The petition was signed by 77 MPs, Iranian news agencies reported, and will be delivered to the president later on Sunday. Ahmadinejad has one month to answer parliament's questions. If he ignores the summons or attends the session but fails to convince his questioners, parliament could try to impeach him. By law, Ahmadinejad is not allowed to run in a June presidential election, but there has been speculation he will try to extend his influence by backing a favoured candidate. The public questioning could be an attempt by rivals to weaken his standing ahead of the vote. Ahmadinejad has indicated he will use any public questioning to reveal "unspoken" facts that he has until now kept secret, Iranian legislator Hossein Ali Haji Deligani told the Mehr news agency in October. Deligani said that in a meeting with parliamentarians "Ahmadinejad was not at all worried or concerned about a public questioning of the president, and announced, 'I see the questioning of the president as an opportunity to state the unspoken in parliament,'" according to Mehr. In March, Ahmadinejad became the first president in the history of the Islamic Republic to be called before the legislature. During an hour-long session, he responded in a confident and flippant tone at times to questions about his economic record and his allegiance to Khamenei. In recent weeks, he has fired back at the judiciary and legislature, bringing into full public view a feud between himself and the powerful Larijani brothers, who include Ali, the parliament speaker, and Sadeq, the judiciary chief. In a letter to Sadeq Larijani published in October, Ahmadinejad said the judiciary had unjustly imprisoned his top press aide and that it was acting outside the bounds of Iran's constitution. Edited November 4, 2012 by TheNewBills Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinga Posted November 4, 2012 Share Posted November 4, 2012 this story was leaked out 2 weeks ago and that Iran would announce it this weekend to help boost PBO of course they want Obama over Romney!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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