Sunday, October 25, 2009

UN Nuclear Team in Iran Visits Newly Revealed Site

(Bloomberg) -- United Nations inspectors entered Iran’s newly revealed uranium enrichment plant today, two days after the country postponed its response to a proposal for Russia to process nuclear fuel for a Tehran reactor.

Inspectors of the UN nuclear watchdog arrived in Iran late yesterday and will make several visits to the site, the state- run Mehr news agency reported. The team of experts, which is scheduled to leave Oct. 27, will compare information provided by Iran with data collected at the site, Mehr said in an earlier report, citing an unidentified Vienna-based official.

The plant, which was revealed by Iran on Sept. 21, is its second to enrich uranium and isolate isotopes of the metal to generate fuel used in a nuclear reactor. The facility is about 100 miles south of Tehran on the way to the holy city of Qom, according to state-run Press TV.

The disclosure of the site, known as “Fordo,” has raised concerns among world powers about Iran’s nuclear goals. Enriched uranium can be used in higher concentrations to make a nuclear bomb and the U.S. suspects Iran is trying to build one. Iran rejects the allegation, saying its program is peaceful and meant for research and electricity generation.