Satellite imagery narrows Qom start date
Satellite imagery narrows Qom start date
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By James Christie
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Friday, 06, Nov 2009 03:43
The Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) has acquired satellite imagery which narrows the timeframe Iran could have constructed its previously secret nuclear facility in.
The news came as reports in the Guardian newspaper said there is evidence Iran may have experimented with a highly advanced nuclear design.
The United Nations nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), has been prompted to ask Tehran for an explanation following the evidence Iran may have tested the advanced warhead design.
ISIS said commercial satellite imagery from DigitalGlobe narrows the timeframe during which Iran would have begun construction of the gas centrifuge uranium enrichment plant near Qom.
The satellite imagery indicates Iran began construction of the enrichment facility after January 2006 but before June 2007, a time frame consistent with Reuters news agency report that said construction began in 2006.
The January 2006 DigitalGlobe image of the site is very similar to the 2004 and 2005 imagery, which indicates that construction of the uranium enrichment plant had still not yet commenced as of that date. But the June 2007 image shows notable differences from the three previous images.
Meanwhile, UN experts have said they found "nothing to be worried about" during their first inspection at Qom.