The following message (subject: Iran nuclear waste) was posted by Morteza Aminmansour, on 5/22/2004 1:33:04 AM.May 22, 2004 Morteza Aminmansour
Seattle, WA, USA
Iran nuclear waste:
In 1967 the US government supplied 5-megawatt research reactor, which was started at Tehran University. The Us was too happy to provide Iran with nuclear technology. Because Iran was considered a friendly State.
Iran has always insisted its nuclear program is peaceful, ratifying the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) in 1970 and allowing IAEA inspections of its nuclear facilities. Back in the 1970, this was enough to give the green light for the nuclear industry to seek business in Iran.
The first contract came in 1974, west Germany Kraftwerk Union won a contract to build two 1200 MW reactors at Bushehr on the Persian Gulf. Construction of the two reactors began in 1975 and 1976.
France also agreed in 1974 to supply nuclear reactors to Iran, although the deal did not go so smoothly and the formal contract for Framatome to build two 900 MW reactors at Karun was not agreed until 1977.
The Shah’s nuclear exploits extended beyond reactors. He made a loan of $ 1 billion to France in 1975 in return for a 10% share in the Eurodif Uranium enrichment plant, a share still owned by the Iranian government, despite disputes and international court cases.
The most appalling plans were to dump other countries nuclear waste in the Iranian desert. First the Shah offered the desert as a dump for West Germany’s nuclear waste. Later Austria negotiated on dumping the waste from its soon to- be- completed ZWENTENDORF nuclear power station.
This came to nothing after the Austrian people voted in a referendum against the opening of Zwentendorf.
At the time of the revolution, one of the Bushehr reactors was 80% complete and other 50% and work focused on these two reactors.
However, Iran has never joined the additional protocol to the NPT, which would give the IAEA the right to take and analyze samples from around the plants.
The Russians, who were contracted in January 1995 to complete Unit 1 by installing one VVER-1000 reactor in pace of the wrecked Siemens reactor. This required modification of the Containment building, since the Russian steam generators are too large to fit into the German designed containment.
The arrangement with Russia included supplying nuclear fuel for the ractor and taking back the nuclear waste. This means that Iran does not need fuel cycle facilities for Bushehr.
Iran has started mining Uranium near the city of Yazd and is developing the facilities needed to operate a complete Uranium fuel cycle.
A yellow –cake facility, a Uranium conversion facility, a Uranium enrichment facility and a fuel fabrication plant.
The Uranium enrichment facilities since could be used for a Uranium-based nuclear bomb program.
The Natanz plant hosts about 200 operational gas centrifuges.
While the plant’s construction does not violate Iran’s safeguard, Iran is required to notify the IAEA before enrichment begins.
If Iran already carried out any Uranium enrichment, this would constitute violation of the safeguards agreement.
Us Officials claim that Iran may be running a covert military nuclear program parallel to the peaceful one it has opened to international scrutiny in efforts to dispel suspicions it has weapons ambitions.
Iran said it suspended Uranium enrichment last year under international pressure but continued manufacture of Uranium-enriching centrifuge components and also stopped building centrifuges.
Since the initial discovery of the centrifuges traces of weapons grade, highly enriched Uranium, new, more advanced centrifuge prototypes and suspicious covert experiments that can also have military application have increased suspicious.
Iran says it was interested only in low –enriched uranium for power generation. The involvement of the military has been for the civilian sector.
Russia had all agreements necessary for the transfer of the nuclear waste.
A clause will be added to agreement with IAEA concerning the return of spent nuclear fuel.
The environmental group Greenpeace claims that Iran refused to return the spent fuel to Russia. Charging that its only use for Iran was to equip itself with nuclear weapons.
The official in Moscow will continue to press for the return of the radioactive material. Russia says that it will not supply nuclear fuel to the Bushehr nuclear power plant until Iran signs an agreement for the return of nuclear waste to Russia.
The used nuclear fuel needs to be stored first in a cooling basin on the premises of Bushehr for three years before being transported to Russia.
Transportation is impossible without prior storage.
The low –grade spent reactor fuel could in theory be upgraded to make atomic bombs in addition to so called ” DIRTY BOMBS”. Of lower radioactivity.
Nuclear waste poses great health risk to people. It increases disease for al life downwind, pollutes the air and ground water. Cancer and birth defects
Are often multifactorial. Combination of radiation with sulfur dioxide can likely cause mutation. The more toxins a child is exposed to, the greater the risk of developing cancer.
Though it may not be enough to kill us overnight, the gradual worsening of health makes people feel steadily sicker. When a child is born deformed, or with cancer.
Nuclear weapons need to be dismantled globally.
The Russian reactor of Chernobyl two decades ago caused a humanitarian and ecological catastrophe.
If DIMONA (in ISRAEL) meltdown, it would affect an area 500 aerial kilometer in radius, reaching Cyprus and the entire neighboring region.
The Israeli are aware of the possibly of a meltdown in DIMONA reactor, which in turn would affect the whole region.
The radioactive substances are leaking from the DIMONA reactor in a way that has increased rates of Cancer diseases among nearby population, particularly those of the Tafila City.
Israel is considered the fifth nuclear power in the world. And is in possession of 200 nuclear bombs. Israel also own massive quantities of Uranium and plutonium that enable it of producing an additional 100 bombs. Israeli nuclear reactor consumes 14,00 tons of Uranium a year.
The average manifestation of cancer in Tafila (Jordan) is higher than the other Jordanian cities.
Literatures:
· Israel DIMONA death factory exposed
· Dimona reactor a mystery
· Nuclear potential of individual countries.
· Jerusalem post oct, 2003
· Los Alamos nuclear waste cover-up
· Russia dragging feet on nuclear waste agreement.
· Iran’s nuclear program
Iran nuclear waste by Morteza Aminmansour on 5/22/2004 1:33:04 AM. - <= You are HERE!