New Worry Rises on Iranian Claim of Nuclear Steps

Mr. [Mahmoud Ahmadinejad]'s statements, and those of other senior Iranian officials, are always viewed with suspicion by American and international nuclear experts, because Iran has, at various times, understated nuclear activities that were later discovered, and overstated its capabilities. An...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inThe New York times
Main Author WILLIAM J. BROAD and DAVID E. SANGER
Format Newspaper Article
LanguageEnglish
Published New York, N.Y New York Times Company 17.04.2006
EditionLate Edition (East Coast)
Subjects
Ahmadinejad, Mahmoud
Centrifuges
International relations
Nuclear weapons
Iran
United States
Europe
US
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Summary:Mr. [Mahmoud Ahmadinejad]'s statements, and those of other senior Iranian officials, are always viewed with suspicion by American and international nuclear experts, because Iran has, at various times, understated nuclear activities that were later discovered, and overstated its capabilities. Analysts and American intelligence officials, bruised by their experience in Iraq, say they are uncertain whether Mr. Ahmadinejad's claim represents a real technical advance that could accelerate Iran's nuclear agenda, or political rhetoric meant to convince the world of the unstoppability of its atomic program. The new claim focuses renewed attention on Iran's rocky relationship with Mr. [Abdul Qadeer Khan], who provided it with much of the enrichment technology it is exploiting today. If Mr. Ahmadinejad's claim is correct, it probably indicates that relationship went on longer and far deeper than previously acknowledged. Mr. Khan and his nuclear black market supplied Iran with blueprints for both the more elementary machine, known as P-1, and the more advanced P-2. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran said his country was seeking better ways to make atomic fuel. (Photo by Agence France-Presse -- Getty Images); Iran was once involved in Abdul Qadeer Khan's nuclear black market. (Photo by Farooq Naeem/Agence France-Presse -- Getty Images)(pg. A10)
ISSN:0362-4331