Iran 'Testing Machines for Making Nuclear Bomb'

The Scotsman:

Iran is testing some parts of machines that can be used to make the fissile core of nuclear warheads despite a pledge to freeze such activities, diplomats said yesterday, citing US intelligence reports. ...

The diplomats emphasised that Iran had not started any of the centrifuges used to enrich uranium. One Western envoy briefed on Iran’s actions said Tehran – which has agreed to freeze its enrichment program but is resisting demands it give it up totally – was apparently doing “no more than checking nuts and bolts” of centrifuge rotors. ...

He also said the high number of parts the Iranians subjected to quality controls possibly indicated that they had more centrifuges built than commonly thought.

A third diplomat accredited to the IAEA said the “quality checks” meant the Iranians “were not living up to the full spirit of cooperation” they are expected to show as part of the suspension. All three diplomats spoke on condition of anonymity. ...