USAF Coutnerproliferation Center CPC Outreach Journal #955
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Issue No. 955, 8 November 2011 Articles & Other Documents: Featured Article: U.N. Says Iran Is Working on Nuclear Arms 1. Iran Has Nuclear Explosive Testing Facility 2. Iran Dismisses Reported UN Claims of Nuclear Work 3. Iran Says IAEA's Documents on Its Missile Program "Baseless": FM 4. IAEA Says Foreign Expertise Has Brought Iran to Threshold of Nuclear Capability 5. China Tells Iran to Show 'Flexibility and Sincerity' over Nuclear Issue 6. Russia Says Timing of UN Report on Iran Nuclear Weapons ‘Wrong’ 7. Barak Not Optimistic about Int'l Will to Stop Iranian Nukes 8. Iran Says West Has ‘No Proof’ of Bomb Drive 9. Israeli Minister Warns Iran Strike is Possible 10. U.N. Says Iran Is Working on Nuclear Arms 11. N. Korea's Uranium Program Close to Being Operational: Source 12. Pakistan's Nuclear Weapons Vulnerable to Theft: Report 13. Pakistani Nukes Are 'Very Hard Targets': Musharraf 14. Pakistan Rejects Reports of Nuclear Insecurity 15. Threat to Pak Nukes Exists: US 16. US Invites Russia to Take Part in Antimissile Flight Test 17. Russia Rebukes US 'Look But Don't Touch' Offer on Missile Defense 18. Osama Bin Laden Was Betrayed by His Deputy 19. Ex-U.S. General Urges Frank Talk on Cyber Weapons 20. Rethink China's Nuke Weapons Strategy 21. No Optimism on NK Nukes 22. Nuclear Terrorism Threat 23. James A. Baker, on Reducing Nuclear Arms 24. More Documentation Of Iran's Relentless Pursuit Of Nukes 25. The Growing Threat of Iran’s Nuclear Program 26. Now For a Real Iran Debate Welcome to the CPC Outreach Journal. As part of USAF Counterproliferation Center’s mission to counter weapons of mass destruction through education and research, we’re providing our government and civilian community a source for timely counterproliferation information. This information includes articles, papers and other documents addressing issues pertinent to US military response options for dealing with chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) threats and countermeasures. It’s our hope this information resource will help enhance your counterproliferation issue awareness. Established in 1998, the USAF/CPC provides education and research to present and future leaders of the Air Force, as well as to members of other branches of the armed services and Department of Defense. Our purpose is to help those agencies better prepare to counter the threat from weapons of mass destruction. Please feel free to visit our web site at http://cpc.au.af.mil/ for in-depth information and specific points of contact. The following articles, papers or documents do not necessarily reflect official endorsement of the United States Air Force, Department of Defense, or other US government agencies. Reproduction for private use or commercial gain is subject to original copyright restrictions. All rights are reserved. Issue No. 955, 8 November 2011 The following articles, papers or documents do not necessarily reflect official endorsement of the United States Air Force, Department of Defense, or other US government agencies. Reproduction for private use or commercial gain is subject to original copyright restrictions. All rights are reserved. United States Air Force Counterproliferation Research & Education | Maxwell AFB, Montgomery AL Phone: 334.953.7538 | Fax: 334.953.7530 Financial Times – U.K. 5 November 2011 Iran Has Nuclear Explosive Testing Facility By James Blitz and agencies A report by the UN nuclear watchdog next week will support allegations that Iran has built a nuclear weapons testing facility, Reuters reported on Saturday. In its report, Reuters cites sources stating that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has obtained satellite pictures of a large steel container for carrying out tests with high explosives that could be used in nuclear weapons. The images of the site at Parchin, near Tehran, and other evidence lend credence to allegations by IAEA member states that the installation was intended for nuclear-related explosives testing. According to the sources that briefed Reuters, the IAEA will also reveal evidence next week that Iran has carried out computer modelling of a nuclear weapon. Western diplomats contacted by the FT on Saturday said that they would make no comment on the Reuters report. In recent days, western diplomats have said the keenly awaited report will strengthen suspicions that Tehran is seeking to develop a capability to make atomic bombs. However, the IAEA is expected to stop short of saying explicitly that Iran is definitely doing so. It was unclear when the container at Parchin was built or whether it was actually used for nuclear-related work. Iranian officials were not immediately available for comment. Suspicions of nuclear arms work at the Parchin military complex southeast of Tehran date back at least to 2004 when a prominent nuclear expert said satellite images showed it could be a site for research, testing and production of nuclear weapons. Iran, which says its nuclear programme is peaceful, has previously denied the allegations. In 2005, Iran allowed U, nuclear inspectors to visit Parchin. The IAEA in May listed seven areas of concern regarding possible military dimensions to Iran’s nuclear programme, including high explosives manufacture and testing and the development, manufacture and testing of explosive components. One of the main hurdles in making an atomic bomb is designing a ring of conventional explosives to compress atomic material in the warhead core, igniting a nuclear chain reaction. Experiments have to be carried out to test the impact of explosions on bomb components. The IAEA report is expected to include other evidence of research and other activities that make little sense if not weapons-related, Western diplomats have said. Western powers believe Iran is secretly trying to develop nuclear weapons, but Tehran denies this, saying it is enriching uranium only to power reactors for electricity generation. Any evidence of nuclear weapons activities would strengthen calls for further sanctions against Iran. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d981ce22-07ba-11e1-b658-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1crjNHhn9 (Return to Articles and Documents List) Atlanta Journal-Constitution Saturday, November 05, 2011 Issue No. 955, 8 November 2011 United States Air Force Counterproliferation Research & Education | Maxwell AFB, Montgomery AL Phone: 334.953.7538 | Fax: 334.953.7530 Iran Dismisses Reported UN Claims of Nuclear Work By ALI AKBAR DAREINI, Associated Press TEHRAN, Iran — New intelligence the U.N. atomic agency plans to release on alleged nuclear weapons work by Iran is fabricated, the Iranian foreign minister said Saturday. Diplomats have told The Associated Press that the International Atomic Energy Agency plans to reveal intelligence in the coming week suggesting Iran made computer models of a nuclear warhead, as well as other previously undisclosed details on alleged secret work by Tehran on nuclear arms. Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi accused the IAEA of giving in to U.S. pressure to level accusations against Iran, which insists its nuclear program is only for peaceful aims like energy production. "Iran has already responded to the alleged studies in 117 pages. We've said time and again that these are forgeries similar to faked notes," Salehi told a news conference in Tehran. Salehi, Iran's former nuclear chief, asserted that allegations proven false in the past are being reproduced. "The Americans raised documents like this in the past: the Niger scandal," he said, referring to claims — based on a forgery — that Iraq under Saddam Hussein had sought uranium from Niger. "The documents were used as a pretext to invade Iraq," Salehi said. "After killing tens of thousands of innocent people, it was discovered that it was a forged document." Iran has previously claimed that reports on alleged nuclear weapons activities were based on false information provided by a "few arrogant countries," a phrase authorities in Iran use to refer to the United States and its allies. Salehi accused the IAEA of violating its neutrality and siding with U.S. intelligence claims under new agency chief Yukiya Amano, saying he is using information that his predecessor, Mohamed ElBaradei, said the agency could not authenticate independently. "The IAEA should not do things under pressure. ... Iran's nuclear issue is not a technical or legal issue. It's a totally political case," Salehi said. Iran has in the past dismissed investigations by the IAEA into the so-called Green Salt Project, which the U.S. alleged was an Iranian plan studying diverse components of a nuclear weapons program, including uranium enrichment and high explosives testing. But Washington has refused to hand over the original documents to the IAEA and only presented a copy to the agency to support its claims. Iran has argued that U.S. reluctance to hand over original documents reinforces its assertion that they are forged. Iran is already under U.N. sanctions for its refusal to halt uranium enrichment, a technology that can be used to produce reactor fuel or material for a warhead. Iran insists its nuclear work is only to produce energy and conduct peaceful scientific research. http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/iran-dismisses-reported-un-1218488.html (Return to Articles and Documents List) Xinhua News – China Iran Says IAEA's Documents on Its Missile Program "Baseless": FM 6 November 2011 Issue No. 955, 8 November 2011 United States Air Force Counterproliferation Research & Education | Maxwell AFB, Montgomery AL Phone: 334.953.7538 | Fax: 334.953.7530 TEHRAN, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Minister Ali-Akbar Salehi said Saturday the documents of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on its missile program are "unfounded and baseless," the semi-official Mehr news agency reported. "The alleged documents claimed by the IAEA are baseless," Salehi said during a joint press conference with his visiting Burundian counterpart in Tehran, referring to reports that the IAEA will release some documents about Iran's missile program in the future.