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Middle East News | Iran unveils faster centrifuges for nuclear work.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Iran was now a “nuclear nation”

TEHRAN (Agencies)

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Friday said that 60,000 new centrifuges for uranium enrichment will be fixed at Natanz nuclear reactor this year.

Iranian atomic chief Ali Akbar Salehi said the new generation of uranium-enriching centrifuge was capable of enriching uranium six times faster than Iran’s existing centrifuges.

In an address marking National Nuclear Day, Ahmadinejad said Iran was now a “nuclear nation” and that it was Western pressure which had forced it to enrich uranium to the 20 percent level that has sparked growing international concern.

DEBKAfile, Political Analysis, Espionage, Terrorism, Security.

Arak heavy water reactor nearly finished

Iran had plenty to celebrate on its National Nuclear Day Friday, April 9. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad unveiled the new “third generation” centrifuge which he claimed was capable of six times the speed of the machines in current use in Natanz and there and then proclaimed Iran a nuclear power.
He had three more reasons to crow:
1. Iran’s first atomic reactor at the southern town of Bushehr began its main and final test at high temperatures after eight months of test runs. If all the components of the Russian-built 1000-megawatt plant work smoothly, the reactor will finally go into full operation in June or in August at the latest after years of delays.
Mahmoud Jafari, who heads the project, said all parts are working well and there is no reason why the plant should not start producing electricity before the end of this year. On March 18, Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin also said Bushehr would go on stream this summer.
debkafile‘s military sources report that the spent fuel rods from this reactor will soon be providing Iran with an easy and plentiful source of weapons-grade plutonium.

2. So too will the Arak heavy water plant which Iran has been building secretly southeast of Tehran in violation of its Non-Proliferation Treaty obligations. Work there was discovered this week to have advanced by leaps and bounds and brought the project close to completion, against all estimates that the reactor would not be ready before 2015.
Our military and intelligence sources note that Arak and Boushehr will combine to provide Iran with the large quantities of plutonium for nuclear warheads. This fissile material has advantages over enriched uranium in its accessibility from heavy water and light water reactors, its smaller size for a nuclear explosion, and its use in smaller and lighter nuclear warheads for delivery by smaller missiles.
A former IAEA official, John Carlson, once warned that large light water reactors “of the sort Iran is building at Bushehr can produce 330 kilograms of near-weapons grade plutonium – enough to make more than 50 crude nuclear bombs.” The process of separating plutonium from spent fuel “employs technology little more advanced,” he said, “than that required for producing dairy products or pouring concrete.”
3.  Jafari also announced on the occasion of National Nuclear Day that Iran had uncovered in the central province of Yazd large new deposits of uranium ore plentiful enough to make Iran independent of foreign imports for both its military and civilian needs.
debkafile‘s political sources add: These three breakthroughs on Iran’s road to a nuclear weapon are radical enough to put Tehran in the driving seat in negotiations with the 5+1 Group (five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany) over its illicit production of enriched uranium and their offer to process it outside Iran as a compromise gesture.
Iran has shown the world it no longer needs outside help for reprocessing uranium up to the critical 20 percent level, which is a short jump to weapons grade and the fissile core of a nuclear bomb. Tehran has made good use of every second allowed by the US-led world powers’ lame efforts to dissuade it from its nuclear goals by means of partly-effective sanctions, attractive incentives and diplomatic engagement, a policy which gained momentum after Barack Obama became US president.
Even this week, he was still telling Tehran that the door to diplomacy still stood open.

Iran and the bomb – Bennington Banner.

U.S.: Iran’s new centrifuges show its ‘nefarious’ intentions – Haaretz – Israel News.

		Ahmadinejad points at a sample of the 3rd generation of centrifuges for uranium enrichment. (AP)

State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said that the U.S. must now conclude Iran has “nefarious” intentions with its nuclear program, referring to the new centrifuges the Islamic Republic unveiled on Friday.

Iran unveiled a third generation of domestically built centrifuges Friday as it accelerates a uranium enrichment program that has alarmed world powers fearful of the nuclear program’s aims.

The new machines are capable of much faster enrichment than those now being used in Iran’s nuclear facilities, and Iranian officials praised the advancement as a step toward greater self-sufficiency in the face of international sanctions targeted at choking off the nuclear work.

Crowley said Iran’s latest “chest thumping” about its nuclear capabilities could strengthen the push for UN sanctions. He said a peaceful nuclear program would have no need for faster centrifuges.

“We have to conclude that Iran has nefarious intentions with its nuclear program and that’s expressly why we continue to work with the international community on additional measures, sanctions, to show Iran that there is a consequence for its failure to meet its obligations,” he said.

Later on Friday, the U.S. warned about the threat of al-Qaeda pursuing nuclear weapons capabilities.

“We know that terrorist groups, including al-Qaeda, are pursuing the materials to build a nuclear weapon and we know that they have the intent to use one,” Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes said.

During a ceremony marking Iran’s National Day of Nuclear Technology, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad pulled back a white curtain to reveal one of the tall, cylindrical machines to a crowd of assembled dignitaries. The display capped months of announcements about the development of the new machines.

Ahmadinejad declared there was no way back for Iran’s nuclear work despite opposition from the United States and other world powers, though he insisted it had only peaceful aims like power generation.

Iran would remain a nuclear state, he said, “whether enemies want it or not.”

President Barack Obama’s announcement on Tuesday of a new American nuclear policy enraged Iran’s leaders because the guidelines classify Iran as a potential target for a nuclear attack. Obama’s policy included pledges to reduce America’s nuclear arsenal, refrain from nuclear tests and not use nuclear weapons against countries that do not have them.

Iran and North Korea were not included in that pledge because they do not cooperate with other countries on nonproliferation standards.

Ahmadinejad called the promised arsenal reduction “a show and a big lie” aimed at allowing Washington to keep the bulk of its weapons. The policy would only encourage nations to seek a nuclear military option, he said.

“When you threaten, you are encouraging other nations to prepare it,” Ahmadinejad said.

The new generation of centrifuges, which spin uranium gas at extremely high speeds to purify it, will allow Iran to produce fuel for as many as six nuclear power plants, the president said.

The head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, Ali Akbar Salehi, said the machines were 10 times more powerful than ones now in use and had passed all necessary mechanical tests.

The machines are at the core of Iran’s disputed nuclear program. Enrichment technology is of concern to the international community because it can be used to generate fuel for power stations or material for nuclear bombs.

The United States and its allies suspect Iran’s civilian work is a cover for developing a weapons capability. With more advanced centrifuges, Iran can more rapidly amass enriched material that could be turned into the fissile core of warheads, should Tehran choose to do so.

Ahmadinejad said Iran would not go down that path.

“We oppose the atomic bomb; we have announced it many times,” he said. Those pursuing the bomb were foolish because “the era of superiority based on the A-bomb is over,” he added.

Iran’s first nuclear power plant is to be inaugurated later this year in the southern port of Bushehr with the help of Russia. Iran says it plans to build some 20 nuclear power plants.

Ahmadinejad also announced that Iran aspired in the future to export nuclear technology.

Seeking to support claims of nuclear self-sufficiency, Salehi, the nuclear chief, said Iran recently examined a uranium deposit in the center of the country with “a remarkable reservoir.”

That runs counter to the belief that Iran does not have significant deposits of raw uranium, making it dependent on imports.

Iran has two known uranium enrichment plants and announced in February that it plans to start construction this year on two more facilities deep inside mountains to protect them from attack.

Iran says it will install more than 50,000 centrifuges at its main enrichment facility in the central town of Natanz. Currently they have installed about 9,000 there.

The U.S and Israel have not ruled out a military option for stopping Iran’s nuclear program if diplomacy and sanctions fail.

“Any hand from any point in the world will be cut before extending against the Iranian nation,” Ahmadinejad said Friday.

During the ceremony Iran also displayed dummy fuel disks made of copper instead of aluminum and uranium. That marked a step toward enriching uranium to a higher level of 20 percent for a medical research reactor in Tehran. Higher levels of enrichment are worrying to the international community because it brings Iran closer to possible production of weapons-grade material

New AJC Survey Shows U.S. Jews Sharply Divided Over Obama Approach on Iran — NEW YORK, April 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ —.

NEW YORK, April 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — As President Obama prepares to host the leaders of more than 40 countries at a nuclear summit in Washington, a new AJC survey shows that a majority of American Jews are deeply divided over how the president is handling the threat of Iran‘s nuclear program. According to the just-concluded AJC 2010 Annual Survey of American Jewish Opinion, 47 percent approve the president’s strategy, 42 percent disapprove, and 11 percent are unsure.

A full 68 percent of U.S. Jews believe there is either “little” or “no” chance of sanctions and diplomacy curbing Iran‘s nuclear ambitions. Fifty-three percent would support, and 42 percent oppose, U.S. military action to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, while 62 percent would support, and 33 percent oppose, Israeli military action.

President Obama’s overall performance as president won an approval of 57 percent, with 38 percent disapproving, a little more than a year after he assumed office. Exit polls in the 2008 election showed that President Obama won 78 percent of the Jewish vote.

Conducted annually since 1990, AJC’s surveys often are cited as the most authoritative barometer of American Jewish opinion on a range of issues.

“If past is prologue, some ideologically-driven groups will cherry pick the results that buttress their particular claims, but the richness and depth of the survey data offers a multifaceted – and, therefore, complex – picture of American Jewish thinking on the key international affairs and domestic policy challenges facing the United States,” said AJC Executive  Director David Harris. “While some issues generate a strong consensus, others reveal deep divisions, a pattern that has emerged consistently in these AJC surveys over the years.”

On the economy, health care, and homeland security, Obama scores somewhat higher ratings among Jews than the general American population. Fifty-five percent approve, and 42 percent disapprove, of the president’s handling of the economy; 50 percent approve, while 48 percent disapprove, of his handling of health care; and, on his handling of homeland security, 62 percent approve, and 33 percent disapprove.

Regarding the Obama Administration’s handling of U.S.-Israel relations, 55 percent approve and 37 percent disapprove. In the 2009 AJC Annual Survey, 54 percent approved and 32 percent disapproved. On a related question, 57 percent approve of the Netanyahu government’s handling of Israel-U.S. relations, while 30 percent disapprove.

Asked to characterize U.S.-Israel relations today, 63 percent answered “somewhat positive,” with a further 10 percent describing them as “very positive.” In the 2009 survey, 70 percent said “somewhat positive” and 11 percent “very positive.”

In terms of the wider region, there is majority support – 62 percent – for President Obama’s decision to deploy an additional 30,000 troops in Afghanistan.

Arab-Israeli Peace Process

On the Arab-Israeli peace process, the AJC survey reveals near unanimity among American Jews in insisting that the Palestinians recognize Israel as a Jewish state in any permanent peace agreement. As in 2009, 94 percent of those surveyed favor that proposition. The new survey shows support is firm across all denominations — 90 percent among Orthodox Jews, 99 percent among Conservative Jews, 98 percent among Reform Jews, and 93 percent among those who describe themselves as “just Jewish.”

American Jews are almost evenly split on the establishment of a Palestinian state, with 48 percent in favor and 45 percent opposed.

On the future of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, 8 percent say all, and 56 percent say some, should be dismantled as part of a permanent settlement with the Palestinians. The remaining 34 percent say none of the West Bank settlements should be removed.

Regarding the future of Jerusalem, 61 percent believe that Israel‘s capital should remain a united city under Israeli sovereignty, while 35 percent say Israel should be willing to compromise in the framework of a permanent peace with the Palestinians.

The survey shows deep suspicion of Arab intentions remains widespread among American Jews. Seventy-five percent of respondents agreed that the “goal of the Arabs” is the destruction of Israel. Eighty percent rejected the proposition that Israel could achieve peace with a Hamas-led Palestinian government.

American Jews and Israel

In terms of personal feelings, a clear majority of American Jews have a strong bond with Israel. Those who feel “very close” make up 30 percent of respondents, while a further 44 percent feel “fairly close.”  In all denominations, well over 50 percent say they are either “very” or “fairly” close to Israel. The attachment is particularly pronounced among Orthodox Jews, 77 percent of whom define themselves as “very close” to Israel.

Interestingly, given the widespread discussion of a generational divide on Israel, the AJC survey shows that younger American Jews feel a greater closeness toward Israel when compared to their elders. Forty percent of those under the age of 40 feel “very close” and 30 percent feel “fairly close.” Among those aged between 40 and 59, 24 percent feel “very close” and 46 percent feel “fairly close.” And, among those aged over 60, 34 percent feel “very close” and 47 percent feel “fairly close.”

Global Anti-Semitism

The survey also revealed an acute concern among U.S. Jews of anti-Semitism:

• 98 percent believe it to be a problem in the Muslim world, the overwhelming majority — 87 percent — defining it as “very serious.”

• 95 percent of respondents believe anti-Semitism to be a problem in Europe, with more than half — 51 percent — defining it as “very serious.”

• 91 percent think anti-Semitism is a problem in the United States, with 25 percent defining it as “very serious” and 66 percent as “somewhat of a problem.”

• 91 percent of respondents believe that over the next several years, anti-Semitism will either remain at current levels or increase.

The full survey, which contains additional policy questions and tracks American Jewish perceptions of key countries, is available at www.ajc.org/survey2010. For comparative purposes, past AJC surveys can be accessed at www.ajc.org/survey.

The 2010 survey was conducted for the AJC by Synovate (formerly Market Facts), a leading research organization. Respondents were interviewed by telephone between March 2 – March 23, 2010; no interviews took place on the Sabbath. The sample consisted of 800 self-identifying Jewish respondents selected from the Synovate consumer mail panel. The respondents are representative of the United States adult Jewish population on a variety of measures. The margin of error for the sample as a whole is plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Israel could opt for nuke strikes on Iran – UPI.com.