The U.N. says that satellite photos show that Iran began constructing the recently-disclosed nuclear site at Qom in 2002. Iran maintains that construction began in 2007 in response to U.S. threats. The Los Angeles Times explains the significance of this lie:“The discrepancy in dates is a significant measure of Iran’s sincerity. Iran has long argued that because its parliament refused to ratify the Additional Protocol to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, it doesn’t have to disclose new sites to international inspectors until six months before introducing nuclear material to them, a point strenuously disputed by the West and departing IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei.
But from December 2003 to February 2006, Iran was adhering to the Additional Protocol, obliging it to declare new sites immediately.”
The IAEA says that they are concerned that Iran may have other hidden sites, and that Iran needs to clarify its explanation about the purpose, design and chronology of the site–which in diplomatic terms means, “Stop hiding the truth.”
The UN also has questions about stocks of plutonium:
“In addition, inspectors found 600 barrels of heavy water at a nuclear facility in Esfahan. The plutonium in the spent fuel of heavy-water nuclear reactors can be used for nuclear bombs.
The IAEA asked Iran this month for information on the barrels’ origin, since Iran’s heavy-water production plant near Arak is apparently not operating.”
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