Big day for Iran: They’ve opened their first nuclear power plant

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It only took them 36 years, with the help of Russia. But don’t think the plant is entirely in Iran’s hands right now. In part to appease the rest of the world, Russian technicians will be joint-operating (and playing the role of safeguard) of the plant for the next two to three years. The U.S. is concerned about anything with the words “Iran” and “nuclear” in it, but they have no qualms with the plant itself, because it could bring them under compliance with International Atomic Energy Agency regulations. source

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29 Oct 2009 20:40

The key issue is that Iran does not agree to export its lightly enriched uranium. That’s not a minor detail. That’s the whole point of the deal.
A senior International Atomic Energy Agency official • Discussing (off the record) the details of Iran’s response to that nuclear deal that seemed like it could be a major breakthrough last week. The sticking point? The U.S. was trying to get the country to ship most off its nuclear material to other countries for enrichment into materials that couldn’t be made into weapons. Iran wants to wait to export the material until the fuel assemblies are built for their reactor in Tehran, at which point the whole agreement means nothing. • source

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They (the West) tell us: you give us your 3.5 percent enriched uranium and we will give you the fuel for the reactor. It is not acceptable to us. The IAEA is obliged to provide us with the fuel based on the safeguards.
Deputy Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Reza Bahonar • Describing why he’s against the agreement the International Atomic Energy Agency worked up to send low-enriched uranium to other countries for further enriching. If it goes through, it could be a huge diplomatic win for the U.S. Word is that Iran might try to work some amendments to the deal, but it could fall flat completely if Iran crosses what the U.S. describes as “red lines” designed to make sure Iran’s not making nuclear weapons. • source

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Everybody who participated at the meeting was trying to help, trying to look to the future and not to the past, trying to heal the wounds that existed for many, many years.
International Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohamed ElBaradei • On the draft proposal with Iran, which would transfer the country’s nuclear material abroad to be reworked for medical purposes. Iran has two and a half days to sign it. The deal, which the U.S. played a key role in creating, is something of a compromise – Iran would be allowed to keep nuclear material, but not enough to create a bomb. If it goes through, it could become a real lynchpin for the Obama administration – bro might be worthy of that Nobel Peace Price he won. • source

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I am dismayed by the allegations of some member states, which have been fed to the media, that information has been withheld from the Board. These allegations are politically motivated and totally baseless.
International Atomic Energy Agency leader Mohamed ElBaradei • On allegations that the group is hiding information on Iran’s nuclear prowess. ElBaradei says the situation is something of a “stalemate” between the group and Iran. Israel in particular has been strongly criticizing the IAEA for hiding information. • source

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