Iranian exiles report that Iran has built at least 15 advanced P-2 centrifuges, which would dramatically speed up its production of nuclear fuel, and will have hundreds more ready next year. Back in June, IAEA Director-General Mohamed ElBaradei wrote that Iran has not provided any new information on its centrifuge programs, nor has Iran bothered to respond to a written inquiry from the IAEA seeking clarification after statements from the regime that research was being conducted on new types of centrifuges.
The France-based National Council of Resistance of Iran has reported accurately on hidden Iranian nuclear activity in the past. "According to the information obtained by the Iranian Resistance at least 15 P-2 centrifuges have been assembled so far and are being tested," Mohammad Mohaddessin, director of international relations for the NCRI, told a news conference. "Our intelligence shows that in the next year they would have hundreds of P-2 centrifuges."
Iran enriched uranium in April for the first time, using a 164-centrifuge cascade of P-1 centrifuges, which spin at supersonic speeds to heighten the fissile element in uranium ore. At the time, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced Iran was pursuing research and development of P-2 centrifuges, which are more sophisticated and reliable, making it easier for Iran to ramp up the production of enriched uranium.
Mohaddessin also said Iran was increasing the number of P-1 centrifuges, which squares with previous statement by Iranian officials that they will build a full-scale 3,000-centrifuge operation later this year, with the ultimate objective of deploying 54,000 centrifuges by the end of 2007, which would bring Tehran even closer to the technological point of no return.
Ahmadinejad's continued threats against the West, U.S., and Israel, denial of the Holocaust, and open defiance of the Security Council, leave no doubt this is a dictator with a deadly agenda. His messianic vision of extremist Shiite armageddon should not be taken lightly.
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