DUBAI (Reuters) – Iran has discovered an unexpectedly high reserve of uranium and will soon begin extracting the radioactive element at a new mine, the head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization said on Saturday.
The comments cast doubt on previous assessments from some Western analysts who said the country had a low supply and sooner or later would need to import uranium, the raw material needed for its nuclear program.
Any indication Iran could become more self-sufficient will be closely watched by world powers, which reached a landmark deal with Tehran in July over its program. They had feared the nuclear activities were aimed at acquiring the capability to produce atomic weapons – something denied by Tehran.
“I cannot announce (the level of) Iran’s uranium mine reserves. The important thing is that before aerial prospecting for uranium ores we were not too optimistic, but the new discoveries have made us confident about our reserves,” Iranian nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi was quoted as saying by state news agency IRNA.
Salehi said uranium exploration had covered almost two-thirds of Iran and would be complete in the next four years.
Uranium can be used for civilian power production and scientific purposes, but is also a key ingredient in nuclear weapons.
Shocking!
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I wonder if Obama and Kerry will “show concern” to indicate to Iran how seriously we regard this.
The fact that Iran may have higher-than-expected domestic uranium reserves is pretty much irrelevant, so far as the nuclear deal goes. The availability of domestic uranium ore isn’t a factor that determines whether Iran will be able to construct a bomb or not.
Uranium ore deposits aren’t rare. Uranium is as about as common a metal as zinc or tin. It’s the technology to utilize it that poses a danger.