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WORLD: Iran 'poised and able to build nuclear bomb within months'
Ed Harris03.08.09
Iran is ready to build a nuclear warhead and is merely waiting for the word from its Supreme Leader, the Ayatollah, to manufacture its first bomb, it was reported today.
Intelligence sources said that the country halted a nuclear arms research programme in 2003 which allowed it to create weapons-standard uranium. They said that Iran could feasibly make a bomb within a year on an order from its leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
A US National Intelligence Estimate two years ago concluded that Iran had ended the programme because of a threat to invade Iraq by America.
But the intelligence sources told The Times today that Tehran had in fact stopped the research because it had achieved its goal.
Iranian military scientists had found a way of detonating a warhead that could be launched on its long-range Shehab-3 missiles, the sources said.
They added that it would take six months to enrich enough uranium and another six months to assemble the warhead, should Ayatollah Khamenei give the go-ahead.
The Iranian defence ministry has been running a secret nuclear research department for years. It employs hundreds of scientists and researchers, in a programme costing billions of dollars, to develop technology alongside the civilian nuclear programme.
The sources said: "If the Supreme Leader takes the decision [to build a bomb], we assess they have to enrich low-enriched uranium to highly-enriched uranium at the Natanz plant, which could take six months, depending on how many centrifuges are operating. We don't know if the decision was made yet."
Iran could have created smaller, secret facilities, away from those at the heavily guarded bunker in Natanz province, to develop materials for a first bomb, The Times says.
International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors only track nuclear material produced at monitored sites, and not the number of centrifuges that Iran has built.
Washington has given Iran until next month to start talks on its disputed nuclear programme. But hopes of a breakthrough have receded after the Iranian regime's crackdown on pro-reformist protesters after June's presidential elections.
British intelligence services are familiar with the secret information about Iran's experiments, sources at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said.
Reader views (19)
To compare a bomb under control of Israel to that of one under the religious nutcase in Iran is naive in the extreme. And under what threat to it's existence does Iran suffer?
- Bill, New York, USA
please stop this. why does everything have to be war war war ? why cant the world just be a happy place and no fighting but thats NEVER going to happen is it?
If this bomb does happen so many lives lose and they didnt even do anything.
so sort it out with the person you have a promble with dont take it out on other people who have nothing to do with it. Just everyone needs to grow up and make this world a happy n safe place to live on.
- Emily, Chippenham
Isn't it odd that the terrible Isaelis haven't used the nukes they are said to have possessed for however many years it's supposed to have been? I would be a little less sanguine about such a weapon in the hands of extremist leaders in Iran who applaud suicide bombers as martyrs. Where one fights simply for survival, the other has extremists who think death and slaughter is a reasonable solution for just about anything they disagree with.
- Rogan, Irving
Carla - your sentence was slightly broken, but by "justify Israel attack", do you mean that this evidence is justification that Iran can attack Israel? Or are you one of the many pro-Palestine lobby who have never been to the region, yet feel compelled to fight for a false agenda?
- Jock, London
Let them have their bomb; if they ever used it anywhere in the world; Iran will end up a pile of dust in retaliation; the other Nuclear Nations have forgotten more about nuclear weapons than Iran will ever know.
- Mickinlondon, london.
In view of the ongoing threats to its very existence, the Iranians have every right to build up defences against one country in the region who has permission to to do whatever it likes to gain territory sponsored by the US of course.
- Thomas Hayes, Leeds UK
fao Adam, Harrow.
Any nuclear bomb detonated in Tel Aviv means it will also wipe out Palestine/Hamas/Hezbollah at the same time.
makes sense I suppose, it will certainly tidy up the region;wont do much for property prices inCyprus tho'
- Kedge, wilts, england
Can you hear the drumbeat of war?... again the use of unattributed intelligence sources which may or may not exist being touted as justification for a future military adventure. I
have no desire to support such a regime as that in place in Iran, however this is not a report on anything, it is rumour nothing more. facts please, from sources that can be identified... but that would mean journalism instead of reading blogs and twitter feeds.
- Milo, London, uk
Is that the intelligence sources that told us there was WMDs in Iraq?
or the ones that will be able to justify Israel attack?
- Carla, London
Very worrying but no great surprise. I suspect the US will calling for a "coalition of the willing" again before too long.
- Graham Rodhouse, Helmond, Netherlands
The first target for the Iranian bomb should be the rebels who are nearest to any Iranian government buildings. That'll show them!
- John, London
Yeah right, and they can get it here in 40 minutes. Been there, heard this crap before, don't buy it. Wolf Wolf Wolf.
- Steve, Brentford
Well thank heavens for Obama. His olive branch is clearly working. Now if only Israel would stop building settlements, the Iranians would simply throw all their investment in nuclear arms away, and we could all teach the world to sing, in perfect harmony!
- Stephen Rothbart, Prague Czech Republic
Er, are these the same intelligence sources that told us Iraq had Weapons of Mass Destruction that could be made ready within 45 minutes? Since Israel has the bomb, along with various other nations including our own, surely the world is a safer place - if you believe the doctrines of Mutually Assured Destruction and "nuclear deterrent", that is.
- Austen, London
I cannot help feeling that Iran is flexing its muscles as President Obama has been extending the olive branch, this the Iranians see as weakness.
I doubt Israel are going to be as gentle as Obama, this could be entering a very dangerous phase if Iran persists on testing the waters..
- Russell, London
The Iranian bomb will have to be dealt with at some stage, and the longer it is left the more bloody it will be.
- Very Very Angry At Paying Tax For Mp'S Expeses, Home Counties
So their claim to only want nuclear technology for peaceful purposes was a complete lie then!
No doubt that bomb will be detonated in Tel-Aviv courtesy of HAMAS or Hezbollah
- Adam, Harrow, UK
That's encouraging news. So it will be Iran, Russia, China and North Korea against the rest when it all kicks of.
- Frank, Home Counties, England.
Nuclear capability in the hands of nutcases - we all need to be concerned, VERY CONCERNED.
- Nigel, St Albans
