Nuclear Test Sites at Parchin

From an educated guess, given satellite-spotting hints, it seems a surety that the military installation at Parchin was used to help develop nuclear bombs.  The buildings installed alongside the main facilities, including a steel containment vessel where it was theorized explosive tests were conducted, have now been razed.  A May 25 satellite image appears to represent verification that this is indeed the case. 

The insistence of the UN's IAEA that it must have access to the site for inspection has been steadfastly denied by Iran.

The IAEA head, Yukiya Amano has been clear about the situation.  That reality goes quite beyond mere suspicion that the Islamic Republic of Iran is busy removing incriminating evidence from the Parchin facility.  Before possibly, inviting the International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors to investigate, after all.  Verification was received through the Institute for Science & International Security which posted photos on its website.

"The satellite imagery indicates that these activities include the use of water, demolishing of buildings, removing fences, and moving soil", explained Mr. Amano.  Removing all evidence of contamination in the soil, erasing all indications that buildings existed which could be identified as having been used for purposes deemed unlawful in the country's push to acquire nuclear weaponry which it steadfastly denies.

Iran is invested in putting off the IAEA in its determination to discharge its international focus on safeguarding the world from rogue nations who plan to acquire nuclear technology and enriching uranium to produce nuclear weapons.  Particular interest is paid to Iran because its denials of intent simply have no ring of truth.  Iran is a country that has stated its irenic intent, and its wish to destroy another nation. 

There is little doubt that when it succeeds in acquiring a nuclear arsenal it may use that arsenal.

Not merely threaten to use it, but spark a rush by other concerned Middle East countries who see Iran as a threat to themselves, and who will feel a need to counter that threat by building their own nuclear plants and acquiring their own nuclear arsenals.   The one country known to be in possession of nuclear weapons, has long since acquired them.  And it is the sole country which plans never to use them, but for their deterrent qualities.

The last meeting between Iran and the six powers tasked to negotiate with Iran proved fruitless.  The negotiators are impotent to produce anything of value, because of the simple fact that Iran is a past master at stalling.  It makes promises it has no intention of honouring, but in the process, is given more time to deliberate - and to covertly continue increasing the pace of its nuclear adventure.

"I think they are just stalling for time", one Western diplomat was recently quoted as giving his opinion.  A monumental discovery of understated intelligence.  More than validated by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's statement of defiance that the "nuclear issue is part of the excuses and obstacles that arrogant powers impose on Iraq."

From one conniving, illegal conspiratorial episode to the next, now Iran is planning to build another nuclear facility. Without informing the IAEA beforehand as it is clearly required to do, through international law.  Iran denies there is any need for it to seek permission before proceeding, however.  But that is part and parcel of Iran's decision-making process and its contempt for outside interference in the scientific work of the country.

“Iran remains the only State with significant nuclear activities in which the Agency is implementing a comprehensive safeguards agreement but which is not implementing the provisions of the modified Code 3.1.  Since then, the IAEA has called on Iran to comply with its legal obligations, which state that Iran cannot unilaterally abandon its safeguards obligations under modified Code 3.1.” 

“In response to Salehi’s August 2010 announcement, the IAEA asked Iran in a letter dated August 19, 2010 to provide preliminary design information for this third centrifuge facility. In a letter a few days later, Iran did not provide the requested information and stated only that it would provide the Agency with the required information ‘in due time.’”

“Iran has taken the position that it can delay telling the IAEA about the construction of a nuclear facility until six months before the introduction of nuclear material, based on its original, unmodified safeguards agreement.  Thus, under Iran’s interpretation of its safeguards obligations, Iran can essentially finish construction of a gas centrifuge plant before notifying the IAEA of its existence.”

This is a problem in need of a solution.  One that cannot wait out Iran's ploys and coy games of one-upsmanship.