LONDON Ñ Western diplomatic sources said the United States has relayed
information to the International Atomic Energy Agency over the last three months concerning at least two
nuclear weapons facilities being constructed by the Islamic regime. One facility at
Arak was described as being planned to manufacture heavy water and other at
Nantanz was a centrifugal plant to produce enriched uranium.
The IAEA plans to inspect
newly-constructed facilities in Iran described by the United States as part
of Teheran's nuclear weapons program.
The UN agency said a team of inspectors will visit at least two
suspected Iranian nuclear facilities in February. The inspectors will be
headed by IAEA director-general Mohammed El Baradei, Middle East Newsline reported.
The IAEA said Iran has confirmed that two facilities in the central part
of the country have been completed. But Teheran said the plants are meant
for Iran's civilian nuclear program.
IAEA spokesman Mark Gwozdecky said Iran has approved an agency's
inspection of the facilities near Arak and Nantanz. This, after Teheran
blocked IAEA plans for a visit this month. Gwozdecky said Iran has termed
the new sites as part of a program to develop a nuclear fuel cycle to
develop additional generating power.
"Iran has indicated that it plans to have 6,000 MWe capacity of nuclear
power within the next 20 years," Gwozdecky said. "We want to have more
information."
Last week, the Bush administration confirmed a report by the National
Council of Resistance of Iran regarding the construction of the two Iranian
nuclear
facilities. Diplomatic sources said the confirmation of the Iranian
opposition, issued in August, significantly increased the credibility of the
group, aligned with the Iraqi-based Mujahadeen Khalq.
State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said Iran has rebuffed
international efforts to inspect the two facilities. Boucher said that
portions of the uranium enrichment plant at Natanz are meant to be
constructed underground.
"Iran clearly intended to harden and bury that facility," Boucher said.
"That facility was probably never intended by Iran to be a declared
component of a peaceful program. Instead, Iran has been caught
constructing a secret underground site where it could produce fissile
material."
