logo
Iran Plans New Nuclear Enrichment Site After UN Watchdog Censure

Iran Plans New Nuclear Enrichment Site After UN Watchdog Censure

Bloomberga day ago

Iran said it would build a new uranium-enrichment center in response to a decision by the United Nations atomic watchdog to censure the Islamic Republic over its nuclear program, deepening a crisis that's also drawn in the US and Israel.
The new site will be at an unspecified secure location, and will be accompanied by the replacement of enrichment devices at an existing site, Fordow, with newer machines, the Atomic Energy Organization Of Iran said in a statement Thursday. Other measures would be announced later, it said, without elaborating.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Israel's bravery shames our pusillanimous Prime Minister
Israel's bravery shames our pusillanimous Prime Minister

Yahoo

time33 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Israel's bravery shames our pusillanimous Prime Minister

It would, to say the least, be helpful if we had a Prime Minister who understood even his own supposed principles. Since taking office last year, Sir Keir Starmer has been admirably strong and consistent in supporting Ukraine against Russian aggression, at least in his statements, if not in actual firepower. But his response to the Israeli strike on Iran's nuclear and military sites is not just naïve, it is pusillanimous and shows how empty a vessel he really is: 'The reports of these strikes are concerning and we urge all parties to step back and reduce tensions urgently. Escalation serves no one in the region. Stability in the Middle East must be the priority and we are engaging partners to de-escalate. Now is the time for restraint, calm and a return to diplomacy.' Starmer grasps the need to stand up to Putin's aggression, but crumbles into spineless diplo-speak when confronted by a theocratic tyranny. For a leader with a clear understanding of the Iranian threat – of reality, in other words – there should be relief, not consternation. Just yesterday, for example, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) declared that Iran was in breach of its non-proliferation obligations, refusing to answer questions on uranium particles found in undeclared sites in the country and the stockpiling of uranium enriched to nearly weapons grade. Iran then revealed it is operating a previously secret new uranium enrichment centre. The threat of an Iranian nuclear weapon has not been theoretical but very real and increasingly imminent. According to Sir Keir, 'Now is the time for restraint, calm and a return to diplomacy.' This is the precise opposite of what it is the time for. Diplomacy led us to the disastrous Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) which relaxed sanctions on the regime, handed it huge amounts of money from oil exports, and thus funded not just the Iranian proxies Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis but the nuclear weapons programme. In this sense Israel has been acting not only on its own behalf but on behalf of all those Middle Eastern states which have been destabilised by Iran – and on behalf of the West itself. This is a familiar story; twice before Israel has saved us all from nuclear enemies, in 1981 when it destroyed Saddam's reactor in Iraq and in 2007 when it destroyed Assad's facilities in Syria. One irony of this is that the so-called Free Palestine brigade, who will doubtless be back on the streets soon, should be cheering Israel today – if they genuinely cared about securing a Palestinian state. There are reports that the UK is on the verge of recognising such an entity next week at the special UN conference called by France. But there will never be a secure and stable Palestinian state while Iran continues to spread its malign influence through its proxies – and should it acquire a nuclear weapon the prospect of a Palestinian state would be the first casualty. Contrary to Sir Keir's spineless timidity, this is the time for action by a clear eyed state which understands the threat posed by its enemy and is willing to act to defend itself by neutering that threat. Far from stopping now as Sir Keir urges, it is essential that Israel finishes the job it began last night. Israel has not started a war – it has prevented one. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.

'Disgusting': Lindsey Graham Called Out Over 'Ugly, Evil' Message On Social Media
'Disgusting': Lindsey Graham Called Out Over 'Ugly, Evil' Message On Social Media

Yahoo

time33 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

'Disgusting': Lindsey Graham Called Out Over 'Ugly, Evil' Message On Social Media

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) seemed just a little too eager for war as Israel launched airstrikes on Iran early Friday. 'Game on,' he wrote on X. 'Pray for Israel.' Israel said its strikes targeted Iran's nuclear program, including scientists working on atomic weapons as well as military leaders and missile facilities. Iran launched drones at Israel in retaliation. Graham also delivered a warning to Iran not to attack U.S. personnel or interests in the region. If they do, he wrote, 'America should have an overwhelming response, destroying all of Iran's oil refineries and oil infrastructure putting the ayatollah and his henchmen out of the oil business.' The messages struck many as Graham cheerleading for war ― and they let him know on X:

U.N. nuclear watchdog chief ready to travel to Iran to assess situation
U.N. nuclear watchdog chief ready to travel to Iran to assess situation

Yahoo

time33 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

U.N. nuclear watchdog chief ready to travel to Iran to assess situation

By Francois Murphy VIENNA (Reuters) -U.N. nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi said on Friday he was ready to travel to Iran to assess the situation there after Israel carried out widespread military strikes that hit the sprawling nuclear complex at Natanz. In a statement to a meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency's Board of Governors, Grossi said the other main enrichment centre in Iran, Fordow, was not hit and neither was another nuclear facility in Esfahan, citing Iranian authorities. There are no elevated radiation levels at Natanz, he added. "I call on all parties to exercise maximum restraint to avoid further escalation. I reiterate that any military action that jeopardizes the safety and security of nuclear facilities risks grave consequences for the people of Iran, the region, and beyond," Grossi said in his statement. "I have indicated to the respective authorities my readiness to travel at the earliest to assess the situation and ensure safety, security and non-proliferation in Iran." He did not say what the extent of the damage at Natanz was or what parts of the site were hit. The site includes a vast underground uranium enrichment plant and a smaller, above-ground pilot enrichment plant. Iran is enriching to up to 60% purity, close to the roughly 90% of weapons grade, at the pilot plant, but it is producing smaller quantities of that material there than at Fordow, a site dug into a mountain that military experts have said would be difficult for Israel to destroy through bombardment. "Despite the current military actions and heightened tensions, it is clear that the only sustainable path forward - for Iran, for Israel, the entire region, and the international community - is one grounded in dialogue and diplomacy to ensure peace, stability, and cooperation," Grossi said.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store