A report by the British newspaper ‘The Times’ claims that Iran is testing a key final component of an atomic bomb. Notes referred to by the newspaper describe a plan by Tehran to test a neutron initiator, the component of a nuclear bomb that triggers an explosion. Foreign intelligence agencies have reportedly dated the document to early 2007, four years after Iran was thought to have suspended its weapons program, and it is understood to have been passed on to the International Atomic Energy Agency.
“Although Iran might claim that this work is for civil purposes, there is no civil application,” ‘The Times’ quoted David Albright, a physicist and president of the Institute for Science and International Security in Washington, as saying. “This is a very strong indicator of weapons work.” A spokesman for the Foreign Office in London said: "We do not comment on intelligence, but our concerns about Iran's nuclear program are clear and based on information in the public domain."
Meanwhile, Taiwan said it would investigate reports that local firms had sold nuclear technology to Iran. The announcement by the Economic Ministry in Taipei follows a report by the British newspaper ‘Daily Telegraph’ that said Iran had set up a nuclear-equipment smuggling network using Taiwanese companies. An official said other intelligence also pointed to a Taiwan-Iran link. The Taiwan Defense Ministry, which could authorize military-related trade deals, said last week it had heard of no such transactions.
Last month, Iran had unveiled plans to build ten new uranium enrichment plants, in breach of United Nations resolutions. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad revealed he had ordered five sites to be built and possible locations found for a further five.
Read the article in The Times.
