Israel Matzav

Iran enriching uranium in fortified bunker at Fordow

Iran has begun to enrich uranium in a bunker in its Fordow nuclear facility in the 'holy city' of Qom.

Iran has started refining uranium deep inside a mountain, diplomatic sources said on Monday, a move likely to exacerbate a dispute with Western powers that suspect Tehran is seeking a nuclear weapons capability.

They said uranium enrichment to a fissile purity of 20 percent had begun at the Fordow underground site near the Shi'ite Muslim holy city of Qom, signaling Iran's defiance in the face of intensifying Western pressure to curb such activity.

"Yes, they have," one Vienna-based diplomat said in response to a question on whether the operations had begun.

Iran has said for months that it is preparing to move its highest-grade uranium refinement work to Fordow from its main enrichment plant at Natanz, and sharply boost capacity. Enriched uranium can have both civilian and military uses.

A decision by the Islamic Republic to conduct sensitive atomic activities at the underground site - offering better protection against any enemy attacks - could complicate diplomatic efforts to resolve the long-running row peacefully.

For those who have forgotten, Qom is the facility that French President Sarkozy and then-British Prime Minister Gordon Brown forced Obama to disclose at the 2009 UN General Assembly.

What could go wrong?

Labels: Iranian nuclear threat, Qom, uranium enrichment

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 9:52 AM