Iranian government media are quoting Mehdi Mohammadi, a “nuclear expert” inside Iran, in statements that are likely to come to reflect the official government line.
Here are snippets of IRNA’s article entitled “The News of Iran’s new Enrichment Installations has left the West Confounded:”
“In the past years, the Westerners have repeatedly said that Iran has secretly hidden its work in Isfahan, Natanz, and Arak. In reality Iran notified the IAEA of Isfahan in 2000, 4 years before the making that site fully operational, Iran announced Natanz to the IAEA in February 2003, exactly 180 days before introducing radioactive materials, and Iran has given IAEA inspectors access many times to Arak, where radioactive material has not been introduced and which is not subject to safeguards.”
Mohammadi said: “The Westerners have been completely surprised. They expected that by announcing their deal with the Russians – which has not been completed yet – on the threshold of October negotiations, they would successfully bluff that they are ready for new, harsh sanctions, and that they would embarrass Iran. Iran, by announcing its construction of new uranium installations, showed the West that it can create surprise on its own, and left no doubt as to who has the initiative in negotiations, and who needs to compromise.”
He concluded by declaring: “The construction of these installations proves that all paths for stopping Iran’s nuclear program have reached a deadlock, and that the West has done nothing here except invent some new material for newspapers.”
Note: this translation is courtesy of the New York Times Company. Please do not use without asking for permission.
Mohammadi: The News of Iran’.s new Enrichment Installations has left the West Confounded
Mehdi Mohammadi, an expert on nuclear energy, has emphasized that the controversy of officials and news media in the West about the new nuclear energy installations of Iran have two goals: (1) Polluting the atmosphere and (2) Making it seem like the West has failed in stopping Iran’s nuclear program
In respodnign to IRNA’s question about why the West has chosen to accuse Iran of hiding this nuclear facility, Mohammadi said: “The Westerners know that secrecy is not currently a part of this project and was never a part of this project.”
He continued, “Yesterday the IAEA announced in an official message that it was aware that Iran was building new nuclear enrichment facilities, and Iran had told the IAEA about this situation before the official stamp was put on the message.”
He continued, “Iran is obligated under the law to inform the IAEA 180 days before the introduction of radioactive materials into nuclear installations. Iran declared the new installations to the IAEA before its legally required timeframe, and the Westerners know this better than anyone.”
Mohammadi continued: “Of course, this has been true for all other uclear installations inside Iran. In the past years, the Westerners have repeatedly said that Iran has secretly hidden its work in Isfahan, Natanz, and Arak, while in reality Iran had notified the IAEA of Isfahan in 2000, 4 years before the making that site fully operational, Iran announced Natanz to the IAEA in February 2003, exactly 180 days before introducing radioactive materials there, and Iran has given IAEA inspectors access many times to Arak, where radioactive material has not been introduced and which is not subject to safeguards.”
This expert alluded to the strategic issues, implying that “The Nervous Anxiety of the West is Understandable, said: “The Westerners have been completely surprised. They expected that by announcing their deal with the Russians – which has not been completed yet – on the threshold of October negotiations would be a successful bluff that they are ready for new, harsh sanctions, they would embarrass Iran. Iran, by announcing its construction of new uranium installations, showed the West that it can create surprise on its own, left no doubt as to who has the initiative in these declarations, and who needs to compromise.”
He concluded by declaring: “The construction of these installations proves that all paths for stopping Iran’s nuclear program have reached a deadlock, and that the West has done nothing here except invent some new material for newspapers.”