The International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN's nuclear watchdog institution, received a letter from Iran detailing plans to enrich its uranium stockpile. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said that the US had done all it could to entince Iran to negotiate. Now, the US, France, and even Russia are calling for stronger sanctions. Konstantin Kosachyov, head of the foreign affairs committee in the lower house of the Russian Parliment, said that it is time to prepare the international community for "serious measures."
Though Iran claims that this uranium will be used in medical reactors (whatever those are), international leaders are skeptical. According to the Federation of American Scientists, "Uranium gun-assembled weapons are the easiest to build. The acquisition of significant quantities of U-235 or a facility in which to seperate the fissile material is an indicator that the acquiring state could be in the process of gaining a rudimentary nuclear capability." Despite this, it is still possible that Iran's nuclear ambitions are peaceful. It should be kept in mind that uranium must be enriched to 90% to be used for nuclear weapons. Nuclear reactors have many other uses, like alternative energy and whatever the heck that medical business is. But does Iran really seem interested in being a leader in the fight against climate change or pioneering medical breakthroughs? Considering how vocal Achmadenijawhatever has been about his less-than-glowing opinion of Isreal and the West, that's not likely.
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