Latest news with #Natanz
Wall Street Journal
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Wall Street Journal
Does Israel Need to Destroy All of Iran's Nukes?
Bennett Ramberg suggests that Israel doesn't have the capability to destroy Iran's nukes (Letters, June 4). We can't speak for the Israelis, but the conversation among them since Oct. 7, 2023, about the utility of strikes against the Islamic Republic's nuclear sites seems to have shifted in favor of raids that needn't destroy the 'totality' of the atomic-weapons program. Partial destruction with the threat of further escalation, which could include Iran's oil industry, could nullify Tehran's nuclear aspirations for years if not forever. This calculation would depend on whether Israeli means are sufficient to damage severely the enrichment sites at Natanz and Fordow. A principal reason Ali Khamenei hasn't yet tested a nuclear device is surely that he fears Israeli or Western intelligence penetration of his atomic program, which could precipitate military strikes. Fear of such penetration doesn't disappear with an Israeli strike. It wouldn't negate renewed, vengeful nuclear ambitions, but it would complicate them. Americans certainly prefer nonmilitary solutions to our foreign problems; Israelis, who often see the Middle East as an array of depressing, bad choices, aim more often for tactical victories that eliminate imminent threats. The Israeli way can lead to egregious mistakes, and the American has repeatedly led us to ignore Tehran's malevolence, including the death of hundreds of Americans.
Washington Post
22-05-2025
- Business
- Washington Post
Iran has several major nuclear program sites, now the subject of negotiations with the US
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iran has multiple major sites associated with its rapidly advancing nuclear program, now the subject of several rounds of negotiations with the United States . The sites across the country, including one in the heart of Tehran, the capital, show the breadth and history of the program. One in particular, Iran's Natanz enrichment site, has been targeted several times in suspected sabotage attacks by Israel amid tensions between the two Mideast rivals.
The Independent
22-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Iran has several major nuclear program sites, now the subject of negotiations with the US
Iran has multiple major sites associated with its rapidly advancing nuclear program, now the subject of several rounds of negotiations with the United States. The sites across the country, including one in the heart of Tehran, the capital, show the breadth and history of the program. One in particular, Iran's Natanz enrichment site, has been targeted several times in suspected sabotage attacks by Israel amid tensions between the two Mideast rivals. Here's a look at some of those major Iranian sites and their importance in Tehran's program. Natanz enrichment facility Iran's nuclear facility at Natanz, located some 220 kilometers (135 miles) southeast of Tehran, is the country's main enrichment site. Part of the facility on Iran's Central Plateau is underground to defend against potential airstrikes. It operates multiple cascades, or groups of centrifuges working together to more quickly enrich uranium. Iran also is burrowing into the Kūh-e Kolang Gaz Lā, or 'Pickaxe Mountain,' which is just beyond Natanz's southern fencing. Natanz has been targeted by the Stuxnet virus, believed to be an Israeli and American creation, which destroyed Iranian centrifuges. Two separate sabotage attacks, attributed to Israel, also have struck the facility. Fordo enrichment facility Iran's nuclear facility at Fordo is located some 100 kilometers (60 miles) southwest of Tehran. It also hosts centrifuge cascades, but isn't as big a facility as Natanz. Buried under a mountain and protected by anti-aircraft batteries, Fordo appears designed to withstand airstrikes. Its construction began at least in 2007, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency, although Iran only informed the U.N. nuclear watchdog about the facility in 2009 after the U.S. and allied Western intelligence agencies became aware of its existence. Bushehr nuclear power plant Iran's only commercial nuclear power plant is in Bushehr on the Persian Gulf, some 750 kilometers (465 miles) south of Tehran. Construction on the plant began under Iran's Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi in the mid-1970s. After the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the plant was repeatedly targeted in the Iran-Iraq war. Russia later completed construction of the facility. Iran is building two other reactors like it at the site. Bushehr is fueled by uranium produced in Russia, not Iran, and is monitored by the United Nations' International Atomic Energy Agency. Arak heavy water reactor The Arak heavy water reactor is 250 kilometers (155 miles) southwest of Tehran. Heavy water helps cool nuclear reactors, but it produces plutonium as a byproduct that can potentially be used in nuclear weapons. That would provide Iran another path to the bomb beyond enriched uranium, should it choose to pursue the weapon. Iran had agreed under its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers to redesign the facility to relieve proliferation concerns. Isfahan Nuclear Technology Center The facility in Isfahan, some 350 kilometers (215 miles) southeast of Tehran, employs thousands of nuclear scientists. It also is home to three Chinese research reactors and laboratories associated with the country's atomic program. Tehran Research Reactor The Tehran Research Reactor is at the headquarters of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, the civilian body overseeing the country's atomic program. The U.S. actually provided Iran the reactor in 1967 as part of America's 'Atoms for Peace' program during the Cold War. It initially required highly enriched uranium but was later retrofitted to use low-enriched uranium over proliferation concerns. ___ The Associated Press receives support for nuclear security coverage from the Carnegie Corporation of New York and Outrider Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. ___
Associated Press
22-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Iran has several major nuclear program sites, now the subject of negotiations with the US
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran has multiple major sites associated with its rapidly advancing nuclear program, now the subject of several rounds of negotiations with the United States. The sites across the country, including one in the heart of Tehran, the capital, show the breadth and history of the program. One in particular, Iran's Natanz enrichment site, has been targeted several times in suspected sabotage attacks by Israel amid tensions between the two Mideast rivals. Here's a look at some of those major Iranian sites and their importance in Tehran's program. Natanz enrichment facility Iran's nuclear facility at Natanz, located some 220 kilometers (135 miles) southeast of Tehran, is the country's main enrichment site. Part of the facility on Iran's Central Plateau is underground to defend against potential airstrikes. It operates multiple cascades, or groups of centrifuges working together to more quickly enrich uranium. Iran also is burrowing into the Kūh-e Kolang Gaz Lā, or 'Pickaxe Mountain,' which is just beyond Natanz's southern fencing. Natanz has been targeted by the Stuxnet virus, believed to be an Israeli and American creation, which destroyed Iranian centrifuges. Two separate sabotage attacks, attributed to Israel, also have struck the facility. Fordo enrichment facility Iran's nuclear facility at Fordo is located some 100 kilometers (60 miles) southwest of Tehran. It also hosts centrifuge cascades, but isn't as big a facility as Natanz. Buried under a mountain and protected by anti-aircraft batteries, Fordo appears designed to withstand airstrikes. Its construction began at least in 2007, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency, although Iran only informed the U.N. nuclear watchdog about the facility in 2009 after the U.S. and allied Western intelligence agencies became aware of its existence. Bushehr nuclear power plant Iran's only commercial nuclear power plant is in Bushehr on the Persian Gulf, some 750 kilometers (465 miles) south of Tehran. Construction on the plant began under Iran's Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi in the mid-1970s. After the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the plant was repeatedly targeted in the Iran-Iraq war. Russia later completed construction of the facility. Iran is building two other reactors like it at the site. Bushehr is fueled by uranium produced in Russia, not Iran, and is monitored by the United Nations' International Atomic Energy Agency. Arak heavy water reactor The Arak heavy water reactor is 250 kilometers (155 miles) southwest of Tehran. Heavy water helps cool nuclear reactors, but it produces plutonium as a byproduct that can potentially be used in nuclear weapons. That would provide Iran another path to the bomb beyond enriched uranium, should it choose to pursue the weapon. Iran had agreed under its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers to redesign the facility to relieve proliferation concerns. Isfahan Nuclear Technology Center The facility in Isfahan, some 350 kilometers (215 miles) southeast of Tehran, employs thousands of nuclear scientists. It also is home to three Chinese research reactors and laboratories associated with the country's atomic program. Tehran Research Reactor The Tehran Research Reactor is at the headquarters of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, the civilian body overseeing the country's atomic program. The U.S. actually provided Iran the reactor in 1967 as part of America's 'Atoms for Peace' program during the Cold War. It initially required highly enriched uranium but was later retrofitted to use low-enriched uranium over proliferation concerns. ___ The Associated Press receives support for nuclear security coverage from the Carnegie Corporation of New York and Outrider Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. ___ Additional AP coverage of the nuclear landscape:
CNN
09-05-2025
- Business
- CNN
Iran nuclear talks: US warns that if Sunday talks aren't productive, ‘they won't continue'
US special envoy Steve Witkoff warned that if Sunday's talks with Iran are not productive, 'then they won't continue and we'll have to take a different route.' In an interview with Breitbart posted Friday, Witkoff said the US opted against holding another round of talks last week 'because we needed to get to certain understandings with' Iran in order for discussions to be useful. 'Hopefully this Sunday they will be productive. Hopefully that means they will continue those talks,' he said. The talks in Oman on Sunday will only be high-level, suggesting that the two sides would discuss a broader framework for moving forward. A source familiar told CNN that the technical team, which negotiates on more granular aspects of a deal like sanctions relief, is not expected to attend. 'It was appropriate to have the next round of talks at the principals level,' the source said. Another source familiar said the discussions are expected to be both direct and indirect. In the interview with Breitbart, Witkoff described the US expectations for the talks in some of the greatest detail to date. 'An enrichment program can never exist in the state of Iran ever again. That's our red line. No enrichment. That means dismantlement, it means no weaponization, and it means that Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan—those are their three enrichment facilities—have to be dismantled,' he said. Iran has said it must be allowed to enrich uranium, that it's non-negotiable. 'Iran has every right to possess the full nuclear fuel cycle,' Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who is expected to meet Witkoff on Sunday, wrote on X a week ago. Similar to the negotiations with Russia, where the US has floated incentives to end the war in Ukraine, Witkoff hinted at similar incentives with Tehran. 'We're inviting Iran to be a member of the league of nations,' he said. 'We're saying to Iran: 'You can be a better nation. We can do business with you. We can have strategic relationships with you. But you can't be a provocateur.'' Witkoff said Iran has told the US it does not want a nuclear weapon – a position Tehran has long maintained. The special envoy said that the talks are focused exclusively on the nuclear issue, a change from the attempts of the first Trump administration to deal widely with Iran's aggressive actions in the region. 'Do we think they need to stop enabling Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and pulling back from being a provocateur? We do believe that. That's a secondary discussion,' he said. 'Do we think that they should not be supplying weapons to people we consider to be our enemies? We believe that. But again, we don't want to confuse the nuclear discussion because that to us is the existential issue. That's the issue that needs to be solved today and quickly.' CNN's Alex Marquardt contributed to this story.
