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Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Iran Modifies Arak Reactor over Nuclear Concerns
2014-08-28
Just keeping track of something important but not urgent:
[AnNahar] Iran said Wednesday it has started to modify its Arak heavy water reactor and limit plutonium output, a cause of Western concerns over the country's nuclear program.

"Modification of the heart of the Arak reactor is in the process of being carried out by our experts ... to ease the worries of certain countries," said Ali Akbar Salehi, who heads Iran's nuclear program, quoted by ISNA news agency.

"Foreign ministry officials have been informed of the technical details of these modifications," Salehi said.

The reactor in Arak, 240 kilometers (145 miles) southwest of Tehran, could in theory provide Iran with weapons-grade plutonium.

But the 40-megawatt reactor, whose construction is being supervised by the U.N. nuclear watchdog, is solely for research purposes, notably medical, according to Tehran.

Iranian officials have said its design will be modified to produce one kilogram (2.2 pounds) of plutonium a year instead of eight kilograms as originally planned.

Under an interim agreement with world powers which came into effect in January, Iran agreed to scale back part of its nuclear program in return for a partial lifting of Western sanctions.

A final deal has a target date of November 24.

Tehran denies Western charges that it seeks nuclear weapons, insisting it is pursuing atomic energy purely for peaceful purposes.
Posted by:trailing wife

#3  In other words, they don't need the plutonium.
Posted by: KBK   2014-08-28 13:20  

#2  Sounds dangerous, what if 500 Farsi Fasicians feel fear and flee?
Posted by: Shipman   2014-08-28 11:33  

#1  They are changing all the doors from opening out to opening in. That's a modification.
Posted by: Deacon Blues   2014-08-28 10:23  

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