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Issue Number 47, dated 6/1/98

Russian nuclear cooperation to expand (Serial 4711)

At the same time Russia is coming under increasing fire fortransferring missile technology to Iran, the new head of the Ministryof Atomic Energy (MINATOM) pledged to sell nuclear research reactorsto Iran, which can be used to produce Plutonium for nuclearweapons.

Asked about Iran's nuclear intentions, Adamov said he had noillusions. "I am sure that Iran is trying to create a nucleararsenal. It would be foolish to suppose that they do not want tocreate one." Nevertheless, he argued, the Russian nuclear transferswere harmless.

Briefing the press in anticipation of the May 12 visit of IranianVice President Gholamreza Aghazadeh, who heads the Iranian AtomicEnergy Organization, Yevgueny Adamov denied any proliferation dangerfrom the research reactor sale. "These works are strictly in linewith international understandings, the more so that the USA hasalready built in Iran a research reactor using 93-percent-enricheduranium."

"I am sure that Iran is trying to create a nuclear arsenal. It would be foolish to suppose that they do not want to create one."
- Yevgueny Adamov,Minatom

The U.S. sold to the Shah a 5 MW research reactor in the 1960swhich is still under international safeguards, whereas Iran is nowseeking a 40 MW reactor, similar to the Osirak plant built by Francein Iraq. The Iraqis planned to use the 93% enriched fuel in thatreactor in February 1991 to build a single atomic weapons, accordingto secret plans made public by Saddam Hussein's son-in-law, HusseinKamil, after he defected to Jordan in 1996.

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Copyright © 1994-98, by the Middle EastData Project, Inc. All rights reserved.