. | . |
Iran's yellow cake uranium stocks nearly spent: report London (AFP) Jan 24, 2009 Western countries believe Iran has nearly exhausted its stocks of a raw material needed to make nuclear weapons and have started diplomacy to stop Tehran acquiring more, the Times reported Saturday. Iran's supply of yellow cake uranium, which it acquired from South Africa in the 1970s, could run out within months, according to unnamed diplomatic sources quoted by the newspaper. Diplomats from countries including Britain, the United States, France and Germany are lobbying governments in major uranium producing countries like Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Brazil not to sell Iran any more, the Times said. While such efforts are unlikely to stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons, it could blunt its ambitions and help contain the threat, the paper reported. Iran says its nuclear programme is for civilian purposes but many Western powers fear it wants to develop nuclear weapons and alter the balance of power in the Middle East.
Iranian envoy urges Obama to review Mideast policy "If President Obama wants to realise a change, he should stop support for Israel and withdraw from Iraq," Samare Hashemi, on a visit to Japan, said in an interview with Japan's public broadcaster NHK. He also said that relations between Iran and the United States would improve if Washington "respects rights" held by Iran, including its nuclear programme, according to NHK. On Thursday, Hashemi handed Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso a letter from Ahmadinejad saying that Iran wants to build closer ties with Tokyo for peace and stability in the Middle East, including Gaza. Washington severed ties with Iran in 1980 in the wake of the Islamic revolution after Islamist students stormed the US embassy in Tehran and held 52 diplomats hostage for 444 days. Obama's predecessor, George W. Bush, refused to engage in direct negotiations with Iran unless it first stopped enriching uranium, and spearheaded pressure for economic sanctions against the Islamic republic. Share This Article With Planet Earth
Related Links Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com Learn about missile defense at SpaceWar.com All about missiles at SpaceWar.com Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com
Swiss engineer in global nuclear secrets probe freed on bail Geneva (AFP) Jan 22, 2009 A Swiss court on Thursday ordered the release on bail of an alleged double agent held on suspicion of being part of a global nuclear arms smuggling network, amid allegations of US pressure in the case. |
|
The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2007 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement |