[Changleen]

I've been looking out for something like this for a while.

So amidst the recent stuff about Iran unsealing their Nuclear research facilities, (bad move) I noticed certain news outlets had begin to slip in an 'extra' factor which most reputable services have not mentioned.

According to Fox News, and a few obvious others, not only have Iran unsealed their research stuff, but they've been secretly building 5000 new centrifuges which would allow them to develop a nuke in just months!

A couple of the other smaller news outlets have picked up on this, and it turns out the source of these revaltions is one Alireza Jafarzadeh, who 'works for a washington think tank'. Well, that's not all he does - here is his wikipedia bio:

Alireza Jafarzadeh is an expert on Iranian nuclear proliferation, terrorism, and Islamic extremism. On August 14, 2002, Jafarzadeh drew worldwide attention when he became a whistleblower by revealing that Iran was running a secret nuclear facility in Natanz, and a dideuterium oxide facility in Arak.

Jafarzadeh is a Foreign Affairs Analyst for Fox News and is often a guest on Voice of America, or ABC Radio Network's John Batchelor Show. He has lectured at Georgetown University and the University of Michigan. He currently heads Strategic Policy Consulting and is expected to release a book on Iran’s nuclear weapons program.

Since 1997, Jafarzadeh has also been one of the spokesmen for Mujahedeen-e Khalq group, which is regarded as a terrorist organization by the United States.

This is a great example of the exact type of tactics used before (and during) Iraq. Set up a puppet 'whistleblower' with an actual story, and later use him (and his credability) to release another stroy which furthers your agenda.

As far as I can find, there is absolutley no evidence for this claim whatsoever. If you can find anthing better than 'certain defectors told me' I'd love to see it. Smells like Neocon BS at it's finest.

 

[Echo]

Oh it's pretty much guaranteed at this point that Bush is going to invade Iran. And it's going to be A LOT worse than his f*ckup in Iraq. I honestly am starting to think that idiot is trying to end the world before his presidency is over.

 

[ohio]

Am i reading this right?
"Jafarzadeh is a Foreign Affairs Analyst for Fox News and is often a guest on Voice of America, or ABC Radio Network's John Batchelor Show.
Since 1997, Jafarzadeh has also been one of the spokesmen for Mujahedeen-e Khalq group, which is regarded as a terrorist organization by the United States."

Is the spokesman role sort of a mediator/translator role, or does that mean he is a supporter/member of a terrorist organization?

 

[Tenchiro]

According to http://www.isis-online.org/publications/iran/natanz03_02.html 5,000 is a relatively small number compared to the 50,000 some buildings weer slated to house.

 

[Silver]

Am i reading this right?
"Jafarzadeh is a Foreign Affairs Analyst for Fox News and is often a guest on Voice of America, or ABC Radio Network's John Batchelor Show.
Since 1997, Jafarzadeh has also been one of the spokesmen for Mujahedeen-e Khalq group, which is regarded as a terrorist organization by the United States."

Is the spokesman role sort of a mediator/translator role, or does that mean he is a supporter/member of a terrorist organization?

I did a quick google. It's on the State Department list of terrorist organizations.

I'm sure you can read between the lines there. We never learn, do we?

 

[Changleen]

According to http://www.isis-online.org/publications/iran/natanz03_02.html 5,000 is a relatively small number compared to the 50,000 some buildings weer slated to house.

Now this is slightly more interesting.

This Albright fellow has, in the past played down claims of Iranian nuclear malpractice, including notably rubbishing the contents of the laptop obtained by the US alledged to contain plans for an Iranian bomb. Hmm.

 

[Changleen]

Some old (1995) background by this Albright guy:

http://www.thebulletin.org/article.php?art_ofn=ja95albright

Quite interesting.

 

[Changleen]

According to http://www.isis-online.org/publications/iran/natanz03_02.html 5,000 is a relatively small number compared to the 50,000 some buildings weer slated to house.

OK, So as far as I can tell, the Natanz plant is designed to house centrifuges, and Iran hope to eventually have 50,000 there as you say, and it would appear the facility is big enough. However while the plant was being built, the whole Iran/nuke thing became an issue and during one of the previous rounds of negotiation, Iran asked if it would be OK to place 3,000 centrifuges there under IAEA watch as part of it's research. Europe essentially refused this request, and after that the trail goes a bit cold...

It appears construction of the facility continued, and there are a few photos that pretty conclusivly show the continued development of the underground aspects of the site.

What I can't find out is if there are actually any centrifuges there or not. Jafarzadeh is claiming there are 5000, but this would be a little strange as apparantly the originally requested 3000 were a 'cell', designed to be the basis of a repeat unit of the 50,000, although this could easily have changed. Secondly there is no mention of where these might have come from, if Iran now somehow has the tech to build them itself (apparantly unlikely) or if they're doing it on the sly.

 

[Reactor]

Now this is slightly more interesting.

This Albright fellow has, in the past played down claims of Iranian nuclear malpractice, including notably rubbishing the contents of the laptop obtained by the US alledged to contain plans for an Iranian bomb. Hmm.

A high school student could design a workable, if sub-optimal nuclear bomb. In fact a few years ago they caught a teen in New Jersey (of course) that had started his own nuclear enrichment program. The amounts he managed to make were trivial by bomb standards, but fairly dangerous by radiological and toxicological standards.

Now a hydrogen bomb....that would mean something.

 

[Reactor]

OK, So as far as I can tell, the Natanz plant is designed to house centrifuges, and Iran hope to eventually have 50,000 there as you say, and it would appear the facility is big enough. However while the plant was being built, the whole Iran/nuke thing became an issue and during one of the previous rounds of negotiation, Iran asked if it would be OK to place 3,000 centrifuges there under IAEA watch as part of it's research. Europe essentially refused this request, and after that the trail goes a bit cold...

It appears construction of the facility continued, and there are a few photos that pretty conclusivly show the continued development of the underground aspects of the site.

What I can't find out is if there are actually any centrifuges there or not. Jafarzadeh is claiming there are 5000, but this would be a little strange as apparantly the originally requested 3000 were a 'cell', designed to be the basis of a repeat unit of the 50,000, although this could easily have changed. Secondly there is no mention of where these might have come from, if Iran now somehow has the tech to build them itself (apparantly unlikely) or if they're doing it on the sly.

If I recall there actually were some, in fact some reportedly had trace amounts of highly enriched uranium and were later traced back to Pakistan.

 

[Changleen]

If I recall there actually were some, in fact some reportedly had trace amounts of highly enriched uranium and were later traced back to Pakistan.

Yes I remember that.

 

[MudGrrl]

I remember talking with an older lady about 3 years ago.

She said then that she would make a bet that we would be going to Iran....and actually outlined what is happening right now.

She's a pretty smart lady.

Should we open a betting pool as to when we'll be going in?

 

[Reactor]

I've got a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach, and tingling in my scalp.....I think the only question is when, if everyone holds the present course.

 

[reflux]

I remember talking with an older lady about 3 years ago.

She said then that she would make a bet that we would be going to Iran....and actually outlined what is happening right now.

She's a pretty smart lady.

Should we open a betting pool as to when we'll be going in?

That could be polictical suicide for the Republican Party. They may very well be idiots when it comes to thinking of 95% of the population (lower and middle class), but I don't think they're stupid enough to leverage the armed forces on two wars. Recruiting and retention numbers are suffering enough as it is, but throw in another invasion...

 

[Changleen]

If it is done, it is likely to be Israel with support from the US.