Satellite images suggest cover-up of nuclear activity at Iranian site (ISRAEL HAYOM) Israel Hayom Staff 08/02/12)
Source: http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=5262
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ISIS report suggests images of Parchin refute Iran´s claim that its
nuclear program is peaceful • Satellite imagery shows evidence
of "considerable sanitization and earth displacement activity."
Recent satellite imagery of the controversial Parchin military site
in Iran shows evidence of "considerable sanitization and earth
displacement activity", indicating a possible Iranian cover-up of
work related to nuclear weapons development, according to a report
released by the Institute for Science and International Security on
Wednesday.
The International Atomic Energy Agency believes that Parchin may be
the location of a high explosives testing chamber used by Iran in
suspected nuclear weapons development efforts. In February, the
agency sought to inspect the site to determine whether military
nuclear activity had taken place there. Iran has repeatedly refused
to grant the agency access to the site, saying that access could only
be permitted as part of a broader deal on issues dealing with
military aspects of its nuclear program. Negotiations on such a deal
have not borne fruit.
"Looking back, Iran’s negotiating strategy appeared aimed at stalling
while it undertook a range of cleanup activities at the Parchin
site," the report, authored by David Albright and Robert Avagyan,
asserted.
A commercial satellite image taken of Parchin on July 25 shows "stark
differences" from an image of the site taken on April 9.
"The entire area surrounding the buildings appears to have been
bulldozed, covered, and flattened," the report read. "The only
remaining traces of activity are the apparent base of one of the
demolished buildings and earth piles formed as a result of earth
removal and displacement."
According to the report, the changes at the site undermine Iran´s
claim that its nuclear program is intended for peaceful purposes
only. The authors called on the IAEA Board of Governors to refer the
matter to the U.N. Security Council if Iran does not "concretely"
address the issue of the military components of its nuclear program
by a September meeting of the board.
After meeting with U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta on Wednesday,
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that sanctions and diplomacy
had not yet had any impact on Iran´s nuclear program.
Panetta reiterated his pledge that the U.S. was committed to
preventing Iran from ever obtaining nuclear weapons.
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