Traces of Enriched Uranium Discovered at Another Facility in Iran - 2003-09-29

A regime official of the Islamic Republic has admitted that traces of enriched uranium have been discovered at another facility in Iran, but claims that this material must have come from elsewhere. Ali Akbar Salehi, Iran's representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), stated today on Iranian state television that international inspectors and Iranian officials were surprised by the new evidence of enriched uranium found at the Electric Goods Factory near Tehran. This official said that the creation of the material discovered requires the use of a large number of centrifuges over an extended period. He noted that IAEA inspectors are aware that such activities have not occurred in Iran. This is the second location in Iran where signs of enriched uranium, which is used for making atomic bombs, have been found. The discovery of this nuclear material in Iran was reported on Friday by diplomats in Vienna, the capital of Austria, where the IAEA is headquartered. Earlier this year, international inspectors also reported finding traces of enriched uranium at the Natanz nuclear facility south of Tehran. The United States has accused Iran of using its civilian nuclear energy program as a cover for producing nuclear weapons. The IAEA has given Iran until the end of October—next month—to demonstrate that it is not pursuing a nuclear weapons program. Iran claims that its nuclear program is for generating atomic electricity and peaceful purposes.