"Iran has a right to Nuke power"

Originally Posted by Rip

It is possible to have nuclear power plants that can't be used to create nuclear weapons. Iran refuses to go that route, so despite what they say their intentions are obvious.

Plutonium is a by product of fission reactors so I think it would be very difficult to rule out weaponising. Add to that the statements that they have 1700 gaseous centrifuges and the implication is clear.

Gaseous centrifuges are used in a cascade method to purify Uranium into high concentrations of U235 from U238. U235 at purities above 90% are vital for effective nuclear weapons.

So now if Iran builds a nuclear reactor (peraps a small one as under soldier stadium), plutonium will result, and with 1700 centrifuges working to create moe U235 All the components of a nuclear explosive are available.

The only two items left are the some what exacting explosive mechanism of say a gun type weapon (as used on Hiroshima) and a means of delivering the physics package.

[Aramike]

Originally Posted by CastleBravo

Plutonium is a by product of fission reactors so I think it would be very difficult to rule out weaponising. Add to that the statements that they have 1700 gaseous centrifuges and the implication is clear.

Gaseous centrifuges are used in a cascade method to purify Uranium into high concentrations of U235 from U238. U235 at purities above 90% are vital for effective nuclear weapons.

So now if Iran builds a nuclear reactor (peraps a small one as under soldier stadium), plutonium will result, and with 1700 centrifuges working to create moe U235 All the components of a nuclear explosive are available.

I was already planning the response to Rip when I read this, which is spot-on.

I don't believe it is possible to have a nuclear reactor incapable of providing materials which can be refined into weapon-grade (correct me if I'm wrong on this).

[Letum]

Originally Posted by Aramike

I don't believe it is possible to have a nuclear reactor incapable of providing materials which can be refined into weapon-grade (correct me if I'm wrong on this).

Although, it is possible to have a nuclear reactor incapable of providing
weapon grade material. (without the heavy uranium separators).

[SteamWake]

Two threads on the same topic... sigh.

Merge please?

[Aramike]

Originally Posted by Letum

Although, it is possible to have a nuclear reactor incapable of providing
weapon grade material. (without the heavy uranium separators).

Yeah, but building centrifuges is the easy part.

[SteamWake]

Originally Posted by Aramike

Yeah, but building centrifuges is the easy part.

Actually they allegedly already have the centrifuges. Wasent that part of the 'fact finding' thing under the Bush admin?

[Aramike]

Originally Posted by SteamWake

Actually they allegedly already have the centrifuges. Wasent that part of the 'fact finding' thing under the Bush admin?

Indeed they do.

I was referring to nuclear power in general, though.