WarSclerotic

Google releases satellite images of Iranian cities which UN says may be used for nuclear weaponisation | Mail Online.

• International Atomic Energy Agency expresses ‘serious concerns’ about Iran
• Agency denied access to Iranian facilities
• Report claims Iran could be developing intermediate-range warhead capable of reaching Israel

These are the satellite images being used by the UN to claim that facilities at two Iranian cities may be used to develop nuclear weapons.

Satellite images of Arak and Natanz show changes to the facilities in the areas when compared with images taken in October 2010.

The overhead pictures were released by Google following a report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) which expressed ‘serious concerns regarding possible military dimensions to Iran’s nuclear programme’.

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2010: A satellite image shows the facility in Natanz, Iran, described as the country’s ‘biggest nuclear facility’

A year on: Sections of road appear to have have been developed or removed and other landscape changes are noticeable in the satellite image taken last month

The IAEA report released earlier this week states that while some activities in Iran have civilian as well as military applications, others are ‘specific to nuclear weapons’.

There were indications in the dossier that the country had conducted detonator development, as well as high explosives testing and electronic modelling of a nuclear warhead core.

The IAEA report, which ‘completely discredits’ the Islamic nation’s protestations of innocence, according to Foreign Secretary William Hague, cites preparatory work for a nuclear weapons test.

Development of an intermediate-range nuclear payload capable of reaching Israel is also in progress, according to the report

2010: Satellite images of the facility in Arak, home to a heavy water production plant, taken a year ago

A year on: Buildings and plant at the top left and bottom left appear to have been removed in this year’s image of Arak, while there has been new building in the centre of the plant

Natanz, which features a Fuel Enrichment Plant and Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant at its site, has been described as ‘the facility at the heart of Iran’s dispute with the UN’.

It is also thought to be the largest nuclear facility in Iran, and has anti-aircraft weapons to defend itself from potential airstrikes.

The town of Arak is home to a heavy-water production plant, which can be used to generate nuclear power.

The IAEA report stated that the agency requested further access to the plant in August, but did not receive a response from Iran.

Instead it has chosen to monitor the facilities from the air via satellite imagery.

It was revealed earlier this week that Israel could launch military action against Iran before Christmas, in a bid to prevent the country from developing a nuclear weapon.

Sources say the understanding at the top of the British Government is that Israel will attempt to strike against the nuclear sites ‘sooner rather than later’ – with logistical support from the U.S.

A senior Foreign Office figure has revealed that ministers have been told to expect Israeli military action, adding: ‘We’re expecting something as early as Christmas, or very early in the new year.’

Officials believe President Barack Obama would have to support the Israelis or risk losing vital Jewish-American support in the next presidential election.

In recent weeks, Ministry of Defence sources confirmed that contingency plans have been drawn up in the event that the UK decided to support military action.

Iran is also pursuing its nuclear weapons programme at the Parchin military base about 30 kilometres from Tehran, diplomatic sources in Vienna say

Iran’s ambassador to IAEA: Report unfounded – Israel News, Ynetnews.

Ali Asghar Soltanieh says he was able to prove to UN nuclear watchdog that its report on Islamic Republic’s atom capabilities is ‘scientifically baseless,” IRNA reports

Dudi Cohen

Iran‘s ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency said Friday that he was able to prove to the UN watchdog that its report on the Islamic Republic’s nuclear capabilities was “unfounded, groundless and scientifically baseless,” the state-run IRNA news agency reported.

The IAEA held a three-hour meeting in Vienna on Friday, showing letters and satellite images as part of evidence pointing to military dimensions to Iran’s atomic activities, diplomats said, but Tehran’s envoy dismissed it as “lousy” intelligence work.

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• ‘IAEA report on Iran will echo US concerns’

Herman Nackaerts, head of nuclear inspections worldwide at the International Atomic Energy Agency, made an hour-long technical presentation of the IAEA’s latest report on Iran’s nuclear program at a closed-door meeting for member states.

At the briefing, participants said Nackaerts displayed procurement-related correspondence involving Iranian officials as well as satellite images of the Parchin military site southeast of Tehran.

‘Report was lousy intelligence job’

In turn, the Iranian representative, Asghar Soltanieh, presented the agency with Iran’s rebuttal to the report. Even after years of inspections, Soltanieh said at the meeting, the IAEA cannot substantiate the claim that Islamic Republic holds any atomic materials for military purposes.

According to IRNA, Soltanieh claimed that the IAEA officials admitted during the meeting they do not have any original documents proving that Iran is working on nuclear weapons.

Moreover, Soltanieh said that he was able to demonstrate that a number of cases presented in the report “were scientifically baseless,” and that his presentation prompted several important questions from “some friendly countries.” He did not specify which countries, or what exactly they had asked.

The IAEA report, based on what the agency called “credible” information, indicated that Iran had built a large explosives vessel there to conduct hydrodynamic experiments, which are “strong indicators of possible weapon development”.

But Soltanieh said that Iran had already addressed the issues brought up in the report, insisting that the agency decided to rehash these matters due to political pressure. Tehran authorities have dismissed the report as a “Zionist plot.”

Saying the report had damaged the UN agency’s credibility, Soltanieh told reporters after the discussion that “This kind of lousy job of intelligence created problems for all member states.”

US demands Iran to respond swiftly

Earlier Friday, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton demanded that Iran respond to the IAEA’s accusations within days, and repeated that Washington was consulting allies on further steps to pressure Tehran.

Clinton, speaking at an Asia-Pacific summit in Honolulu, made clear that the US was seeking to marshal international support for additional sanctions against Iran, but stopped short of specifying actions under consideration.

US President Barack Obama was expected to seek a united front against Iran when he meets world leaders, including Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Chinese President Hu Jintao, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit this weekend.

But Russia and China have said they do not support new sanctions, limiting the chances of pushing through another package of UN Security Council measures against Tehran over its nuclear program.

Clinton, speaking to reporters after talks with her counterparts at the APEC meeting, said, “We discussed the recent report raising serious concerns about the weapons-related work the Iranian government has undertaken.”

“Iran has a long history of deception and denial regarding its nuclear program, and in the coming days we expect Iran to answer the serious questions raised by this report,” she said.

Reuters and AP contributed to the report

U.S. demands Iran respond to IAEA report within days – Haaretz Daily Newspaper | Israel News.

U.S. Secretary of State says at a Pacific Rim summit that Islamic Republic has ‘long history of deception’ regarding its nuclear program.

By The Associated Press

Iran must respond soon to a report by the UN atomic agency alleging that it is working secretly on developing a nuclear weapon, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Friday while attending a Pacific Rim summit.

Clinton said she discussed the issue with her counterparts gathered in Hawaii who also expressed serious concern over the issue.

	U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaks during a news conference at the APEC Summit in Honolulu, Hawaii, November 11, 2011.
	Photo by: Reuters

“Iran has a long history of deception and denial regarding its nuclear program and in the coming days we expect Iran to answer the serious questions raised by this report,” Clinton told reporters.

“The U.S. will continue to consult closely with our allies on the next steps we can take to increase pressure on Iran,” Clinton said.

The International Atomic Energy Agency showed satellite images, letters and diagrams to 35 nations earlier Friday in Vienna as it sought to underpin its case that Iran apparently is working secretly on developing a nuclear weapon.

Iran’s chief envoy to the IAEA, however, rejected the presentation as based on material fabricated by the United States and its allies.

The IAEA report strongly suggested that Iran is using the cover of a peaceful nuclear program to produce atomic weaponry.

Iran is under UN sanctions for refusing to stop uranium enrichment — which can produce both nuclear fuel and fissile warhead material — and other suspected activities that the international community fears could be used to make atomic arms. It dismisses such allegations and says its activities are meant to be used only for energy or research.

Western diplomats hope a Nov. 17-18 meeting of the IAEA’s 35-nation governing board will adopt a resolution denouncing Iran’s nuclear activities and calling on Tehran to start addressing the agency’s growing concerns about its aims.

But Russian and Chinese reluctance may hinder such steps.