BICOM

A report in the Wall St Journal says that United States and European officials fear that Iran could produce weapons-grade plutonium at its Arak heavy water reactor by summer 2014.

International concerns over Iran’s nuclear development have largely focused on the continuing enrichment of twenty per-cent enriched uranium, considered just a small step from weapons-grade material. However, the last International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report on Iran’s nuclear programme, published in May also gave significant attention to the ongoing development of the Arak heavy water reactor. The plant could be used to produce plutonium, which can be utilised to make smaller, even more powerful nuclear warheads than weapons-grade uranium. The next IAEA report is expected to be published within the coming weeks.

Although Iran predicts that Arak will be operational by the third quarter of 2014, the Wall St Journal report says that it could be operational even earlier and that Western officials have been taken somewhat by surprise over its development. The article quotes an unnamed IAEA official saying “it really crept up on us” while a senior European official involved in Iranian diplomacy commented, “We are increasingly concerned about activity…at Arak.”

In an interview on CBS’ Face the Nation last month, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned over the prospect of development at Arak, saying “They’re pursuing an alternate route of plutonium…to build a nuclear bomb.” He added, “They’re getting closer to it. And they have to be stopped.”

Meanwhile, Michael Mann, spokesman for European Union foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton, who coordinates international talks with Iran over its nuclear programme, yesterday called for steps forward to resolve concerns. Noting that Iran’s new President Hassan Rowhani has taken office, Mann said “We hope that the new Iranian government will be prepared to make rapid progress towards addressing international concerns about its nuclear programme and engage constructively.”