Cordesman/Wilner, Iran & The Gulf Military Balance
AHC 6/3/12
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Figure IV.37 provides regarding the purpose and the capabilities of the Fordow enrichment plant it is constructing near Qom. Iran stated that the purpose of this facility would be the production of UF6 enriched to 5.0%, and that it would contain roughly 3,000 centrifuges.
Figure IV.38 details Iran’s plans to install 64-centrifuge cascades at the previously hidden Fordow facility, and triple its enrichment output of 19.75% LEU. Such a move would provide Iran with a much faster breakout ability should it choose to produce nuclear weapons.
Figure IV.39 describes continuing work on heavy water-related projects as of May 24, 2011, contrary to the resolutions of the IAEA Board of Governors and the UN Security Council. Moreover, Iran had not allowed access to these facilities as of May 24, 2011.
Figure IV.40 describes IAEA concerns as of June 2011. According to Yukiya Amano, the head of the IAEA, makes it clear that certain undisclosed nuclear-related activities in Iran seem to indicate military dimensions to the program. It also indicates that Iran has repeatedly rebuffed IAEA requests to inspect its facilities.
Figure IV.41 shows that as of September 2, 2011, Iran’s total LEU production at the FEP is reported to be 4,543 kg of low enriched uranium. If enriched further to weapons grade, it would be enough to produce four nuclear weapons. It also indicates that as of August 28, 2011, Iran was enriching uranium using 5,860 IR-1 centrifuges in 35 cascades. Moreover, it indicates that Iran has not installed any new centrifuges since the last reporting period, and that Iran has approximately 8,000 centrifuges installed total.
Figure IV.42 indicates that Iran has installed two cascades of advanced centrifuges at the PFEP as it said it would. As of August 28, 2011, Iran had installed 136 IR-2m centrifuges in cascade 5, and 27 IR-4 centrifuges in cascade 4. It also indicates that Iran produces 19.75% enriched uranium at a rate of 4.80%/month, a 23% increase from 3.91%/month in the last reporting period.
Figure IV.43 indicates that Iran told the IAEA during an August 9, 2011 visit to the Arak IR-40 reactor that the start of the operation of the reactor is planned for 2013. On August 17, 2011, the IAEA visited the Arak Heavy Water Production Plant for the first time since 2005. Iran informed the IAEA that the plant was operational, and had produced a total of 60 tons of heavy water to that date. Iran continues to deny the IAEA access to the heavy water it has produced.
The data in these Figures are constantly evolving, and they contain many detailed uncertainties such how many nuclear facilities Iran really has and how far it has gotten in producing more advanced centrifuges like the IR-2 and IR-4. Many experts estimate, for example, that the IR-2 could be much more reliable and have some six times the output of the IR-1, making it far easier to disperse and conceal. “Guesstimates” are notoriously unreliable – particularly in their worst-case form. As of November 8, 2011, for example,, the IAEA reported that had installed 164 IR-2 centrifuges at the Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant at Natanz, all of which were under vacuum. The Agency also discovered 66 IR-4 centrifuges at the facility, but none had been fed with UF6 at the time.18 On February 15, 2012, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad stated publicly Iran had installed 3,000 new centrifuges at Natanz, increasing its LEU production by half.19 The NTI calculated
18
IAEA, Implementation of the NPT Safeguards Agreement and relevant provisions of Security Council resolutions in the Islamic Republic of Iran, November 8, 2011 http://isis-online.org/uploads/isis-reports/documents/IAEA_Iran_8Nov2011.pdf Iran Claims 3,000 New Uranium Centrifuges.” NTI: Global Security Newswire. February 15, 2012. http://www.nti.org/gsn/article/iran-claims-3000-new-uranium-centrifuges/ 19
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