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Iran's Nuclear Arms Work Not Halted in '03 as Reported

(Washington Times) Bill Gertz - The new IAEA report is further evidence that a U.S. National Intelligence Estimate partially made public in 2007 was wrong in stating that Iran halted all nuclear weapons work in 2003. Regarding missile warhead development, the new report said Iran used a code-named unit called Project 111 that created 14 warhead designs in 2002 and 2003. "While the activities described as those of Project 111 may be relevant to the development of a non-nuclear payload, they are highly relevant to a nuclear weapon program." Iran used Project 111 engineers to build a prototype firing system "that would enable the payload to explode both in the air above a target, or upon impact of the re-entry vehicle with the ground." A chart in the report assessed that all the various characteristics of the warhead were "likely" for use with a nuclear device. The report said two member states gave the IAEA information on nuclear-arms modeling studies by Iran in 2008 and 2009. "The application of such studies to anything other than a nuclear explosive is unclear to the Agency."
2011-11-10 00:00:00
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