UANI

Nuke News

Since an Iranian opposition group revealed the existence of secret Iranian nuclear facilities at Natanz and Arak in 2002, the so-called peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program has been subject to great scrutiny. In that nine year period, the Iranian regime has revealed yet another covert facility, enriched enough uranium to construct at least two nuclear weapons (approximately 1000 kg of LEU is necessary), and it has claimed to have acquired the technology to develop the entire nuclear fuel cycle.

UANI has compiled a timeline of some of the most important milestones in the development of Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile program since 2002.

2011

May 24, 2011: The IAEA's quarterly report notes that Iran has approximately 8,000 centrifuges and 4,105 kg of LEU. Iran has produced 56.7 kg of 20 percent enriched uranium. The report also notes that on May 10, the Bushehr nuclear reactor reached "criticality" (a sustained chain reaction), a crucial step in connecting the plant to the national grid. Additionally, the IAEA "revealed for the first time… that it possesses evidence that Tehran has conducted work on a highly sophisticated nuclear triggering technology that experts said could be used for only one purpose: setting off a nuclear weapon."

February 25, 2011: The IAEA's quarterly report notes that Iran has approximately 8,000 centrifuges and 3,606 kg of LEU. Iran has produced 43.6 kg of 20 percent enriched uranium. The report also reveals that Iran's newly completed nuclear reactor at Bushehr is facing serious technical setbacks and that the 163 fuel rods in the reactor's core will have to be removed. It is unclear whether these difficulties arise from sabotage or startup problems. In addition, the IAEA shares that it has received new evidence regarding allegations that Iran is seeking to develop a nuclear-armed missile.

2010

December 5, 2010: Iran announces it will use its own yellowcake, thereby reducing its need for nuclear fuel imports.

November 23, 2010: The IAEA's quarterly report notes that Iran has 8,426 centrifuges and 3,183 kg of LEU. Iran has produced 33 kg of 20 percent enriched uranium.

October 26, 2010: Iran begins loading fuel into the Bushehr light water nuclear reactor.

September 6, 2010: The IAEA's quarterly report notes that Iran possesses 8,856 centrifuges and 2,803 kg of LEU. Iran has produced 22 kg of 20 percent enriched uranium.

May 31, 2010: The IAEA's quarterly report notes that Iran has 8,428 centrifuges and 2,427 kg of LEU. Iran has produced 5.7 kg of 20 percent enriched uranium.

February 18, 2010: The IAEA's quarterly report notes that Iran has 6,396 centrifuges and 2,065 kg of LEU. The report "suggests, bluntly and for the first time, that Iran is actively pursuing nuclear weapons capability."

February 7, 2010: Iran announces it will start work on producing 20 percent enriched uranium for its Tehran research reactor. Enriching to 20 percent will bring Iran significantly closer to weapons-grade level uranium.

2009

December 13, 2009: Reports reveal the existence of a secret Iranian document detailing the development and testing of a neutron initiator, used to trigger a nuclear explosion.

November 16, 2009: The IAEA's quarterly report notes that Iran has 8,692 centrifuges and 1,763 kg of LEU.

November 9, 2009: Iran says it plans to build 10 more uranium enrichment sites.

September 25, 2009: Iran reveals a clandestine Iranian enrichment site at Qom to the IAEA. American, British, French, and Israeli intelligence officials had been tracking the site for three years prior.

August 28, 2009: The IAEA's quarterly report notes that Iran has 8,308 centrifuges and 1,508 kg of LEU.

August 3, 2009: "Western intelligence sources believe Iran could build and explode a nuclear weapon within one year of supreme leader Ali Khamenei's order to do so."

June 5, 2009: The IAEA's quarterly report notes that Iran has 7,052 centrifuges and 1,339 kg of LEU.

April 10, 2009: Iran announces the opening of uranium oxide plant at Isfahan, designed to produce fuel for the heavy water research reactor in Arak. Iran announces that it now controls "the entire nuclear fuel cycle."

February 19, 2009: The IAEA's quarterly report notes that Iran possesses more than 5,400 centrifuges and 1,010 kg of LEU. Iran now possesses the LEU "sufficient for a nuclear weapons breakout capability." Inspectors discovered that Iran had underreported the amount of uranium it had enriched by a third.

February 3: 2009: Iran successfully launches its first satellite, stoking fears about the regime's enhanced mastery of missile technology that could be applied for military purposes.

2008

November 19, 2008: The IAEA's quarterly report notes that Iran has 630 kg of LEU.

November 12, 2008: Iran tests the Sejil, a new generation solid fuel surface-to-surface missile with a range of approximately 2,000 kilometers (1,400 miles). The missile is capable of reaching parts of Europe.

September 15, 2008: The IAEA's quarterly report notes that Iran has 480 kg of LEU.

May 26, 2008: The IAEA's quarterly report notes that Iran has 225 kg of LEU.

February 22, 2008: The IAEA's quarterly report notes that Iran has amassed 75 kg of LEU

2007

January 22, 2007: Iran announces it has barred 38 IAEA inspectors from the country. It is the regime's "first step" in limiting cooperation with the IAEA in retaliation for UN sanctions imposed on Iran.

2006

February 14, 2006: Ten days after the IAEA votes to report Iran to the UN Security Council (resulting in Iran's expulsion of IAEA inspectors), "Iran restarts feeding uranium gas into centrifuges at Natanz after suspension for more than 2 years."

February 6, 2006: Iran suspends its implementation of "all voluntarily suspended non-legally binding measures including the provisions of the Additional Protocol" and states "even beyond that will be suspended."

January 10, 2006: Iran removes UN seals from its Natanz facility and resumes enrichment.

2005

February 2005: Iranian President Khatami announces that no Iranian government will give up the country's nuclear program.

2004

November 23, 2004: A CIA report reveals that AQ Khan, the Pakistani scientist responsible for black-market nuclear proliferation in the 1990s, provided Iran with "significant assistance" including designs for "advanced and efficient weapons components."

November 14, 2004: Iran agrees to suspend its uranium enrichment activities in a deal with Britain, France, and Germany.

February 24, 2004: The IAEA reports that "Iran experimented with polonium-210, which can be used to trigger the chain reaction in a nuclear bomb."

2003

December 18, 2003: Iran signs (but does not ratify) and voluntarily agrees to adhere to the IAEA's Additional Protocol on Nuclear Safeguards.

August 2003: Traces of highly enriched, weapons-grade uranium are found at Natanz.

February 9, 2003: Iran announces that it has started mining uranium in order to develop full control over the nuclear fuel cycle.

2002

December 12, 2002: U.S. satellite imagery confirms the existence of the Natanz and Arak facilities.

August 14, 2002: The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) reveals the existence of two secret nuclear facilities in Iran: 1) an enrichment facility at Natanz; 2) a heavy water reactor at Arak.