USA: DAYS BEFORE INTERNATIONAL INSPECTORS ARE EXPECTED TO VISIT TWO NUCLEAR SITES AN IRANIAN OPPOSITION GROUP ANNOUNCES DISCOVERY OF THIRD SITE IN NATANZ

Record ID: 647204

  • Title: USA: DAYS BEFORE INTERNATIONAL INSPECTORS ARE EXPECTED TO VISIT TWO NUCLEAR SITES AN IRANIAN OPPOSITION GROUP ANNOUNCES DISCOVERY OF THIRD SITE IN NATANZ
  • Date: 20th February 2003
  • Summary: (U7) WASHINGTON D.C., UNITED STATES (FEBRUARY 20, 2003) (REUTERS) 1. SLV: PRESS CONFERENCE 0.06 2. SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (English) SOONA SAMSAMI, US REPRESENTATIVE, NATIONAL COUNCIL OF RESISTANCE OF IRAN SAYING: "The clerical regime is taking advantage of the current crisis in the region, and has accelerated its efforts to obtain nuclear weapons. The mullahs strategy is bent on acquiring weapons of mass destruction, especially nuclear weapons to change the balance of power in the region in its favour and pave the way for exporting fundamentalism and terrorism." 0.43 3. SCU: BOARD SHOWING SATELLITE IMAGES CAPTURED BY THE INSTITUTE FOR SCIENCE AND INTERNATIONAL SECURITY (ISIS) OF NATANZ, SITE BELIEVED TO HOUSE A URANIUM ENRICHMENT FACILITY AND GAS CENTRIFUGE 0.48 5. SLV: PRESS CONFERENCE 1.51 6. CU/SCU: BOARD SHOWING SATELLITE IMAGES CAPTURED BY THE INSTITUTE FOR SCIENCE AND INTERNATIONAL SECURITY (ISIS) IN NATANZ (2 SHOTS) 2.02 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 7th March 2003 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: WASHINGTON D.C., UNITED STATES/ NATANZ, IRAN
  • City:
  • Country: USA
  • Reuters ID: LVA128IYT51HDS9U8IPDS732XWK5
  • Story Text: Days before international inspectors are expected to
    visit two nuclear sites in Iran, an Iranian opposition group
    has announced the discovery of a third site in Natanz,
    believed to house a centrifuge.



    Soona Samsami, a U.S. representative of the National
    Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) believes that plans are
    already in place to disguise the facility at Natanz.

    According to Samsami, dummy buildings have been erected
    near one of the structures believed to contain key uranium
    enrichment equipment.

    NCRI said that they learned of the site through sources in
    Tehran.

    "The machinery in this site has not been dismantled and is
    preparing centrifuge machines. The mullahs are planning to
    lock the doors to this building once the inspection is being
    conducted and claim that it is, similar to the other four next
    to it, simply a warehouse," Samsami said.

    Samsami also claimed that the Iranian government has set
    up a centrifuge testing facility for a nuclear weapons
    programme in the town of Ab-Ali east of the capital.

    The opposition group, closely linked to the Mujahideen
    Khalq military group based in Iraq, revealed the existence of
    the Natanz facility and a heavy water complex near the town of
    Arak in August, at a time when the International Atomic Energy
    Agency was not aware of them.

    Iran, a signatory of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty,
    says its nuclear programme is needed to generate electricity
    and is not involved in bomb-making.

    IAEA director-general Mohamed ElBaradei will be in Iran on
    Friday and Saturday (February 21 and 22, 2003) and is
    expected to visit the two sites. He told Reuters this week the
    Iranians said they wanted to prove their nuclear programme was
    peaceful.

    Samsami said the facility at Ab-Ali, about 18 miles (30
    km) east of Tehran, was under the cover of a watch-making
    factory by the name of Kala Electric. It contains two large
    warehouses used as workshops and several office buildings, she
    added.

    Iran this month announced plans for an ambitious nuclear
    energy programme, including a complete fuel cycle starting
    with uranium ore from the Saghand mines, near the city of
    Yazd.

    A uranium ore processing plant should come on line soon in
    the central city of Isfahan and preliminary work had begun on
    a uranium enrichment plant, according to Gholamreza Aqazadeh,
    head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization.

    The United States says it doubts Iran's assurances that
    its programme is for peaceful purposes. It is especially
    suspicious of the heavy water plant at Arak because Iran has
    never announced plans for a reactor which could use the water.

    U.S. officials said on Thursday (February 20) the Bush
    administration, concerned about Iran's plans to develop its
    own nuclear fuel, will accelerate talks with Russia meant to
    keep Tehran from achieving full nuclear capability.


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