The International Atomic Energy Agency is seeking information from a Russian scientist who might have been involved in Iranian high-explosives tests relevant to developing a nuclear weapon, the New York Times reported today (see GSN, Oct. 9).
(Oct. 10) -
The International Atomic Energy Agency, led by Mohamed ElBaradei (above) has received information that possibly shows a Russian individual's support for Iran's nuclear programs (Samuel Kubani/Getty Images).
The U.N. nuclear watchdog obtained a long document written in Farsi that appears to provide extensive details on Iranian precision detonator experiments conducted with the Russian's guidance, U.S. and European officials said. Iran insists its nuclear program has no military component and has challenged the authenticity of incriminating documents obtained by the agency.
Western officials said without elaborating that the Farsi document does not appear to be a forgery. The Russian scientist did not appear to be connected to his country's work on Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant or to have clearance from Moscow to help Iran with the detonator research, the officials added.
When questioned on agency suspicions that a Russian scientist was involved in the research, a Russian official with knowledge of the Iranian nuclear dispute said, "It is difficult for me to add anything."
After IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei last month reported new indications that "foreign expertise" had played a role in Iran's nuclear program (see GSN, Sept. 15), a high-level official close to the agency discounted the possible involvement of Libya or the nuclear smuggling ring once run by Pakistani nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan, the Times reported. The Western officials now describe the "foreign expertise" as referring to the Russian expert.
In February, IAEA safeguards head Olli Heinonen showed evidence to the agency's 35-nation governing board suggesting that Iran had experimented with precision detonators (see GSN, Feb. 26). When an Iranian delegate rejected the claim as "groundless," Heinonen responded that the research was "not consistent with any application other than the development of a nuclear weapon."
ElBaradei later referred to the alleged high-explosives tests in a May report that draws from a five-page translated summary of the Farsi document (see GSN, May 27).
A lone Russian scientist providing nuclear assistance to Iran would not be without precedent; other Russian researchers have shared such expertise to Iran since the end of the Cold War, the Times reported.
"The Iranians were very active in recruiting and paying Russian scientists to provide them with assistance in their nuclear program," said Gary Samore, a former Clinton administration official now at the Council on Foreign Relations. "It's plausible to me that they at some point paid a Russian nuclear expert to provide assistance" (Elaine Sciolino, New York Times, Oct. 10).