Iran can make nuclear weapons - but won't, says top politician

[alp227]

Source: The Observer

Iran has the technological capability to produce nuclear weapons but will never do so, a prominent politician in the Islamic republic has said.

The statement by Gholamreza Mesbahi Moghadam is the first time an Iranian politician has publicly stated that the country has the knowledge and skills to produce a nuclear weapon.

Moghadam, whose views do not represent the government's policy, said Iran could easily create the highly enriched uranium that is used to build atomic bombs, but it was not Tehran's policy to go down that route.

Moghadam told the parliament's news website, icana.ir: "Iran has the scientific and technological capability to produce (a) nuclear weapon, but will never choose this path."

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/apr/07/iran-can-produce-nuclear-weapons-politician

[Warpy]

1. Having the knowledge and actually managing to assemble one

that works the way it's supposed to work is harder than they think it is.

If anything, they've been looking at India and Pakistan, both of whom have found out that having a bomb or ten in the arsenal is like having a big, mean dog in the front yard, good to warn people away but a liability if it ever gets out and bites somebody.

The US only got away with it almost 70 years ago because the whole world was already exhausted by war.

[applegrove]

2. Looks like Obama's sanctions have worked. Maybe Iran is worried about losing all the lamb imports

they get from Australia & New Zealand. Gwynne Dyer was right. Iran is too interconnected to the world.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gwynne_Dyer

[cqo_000]

3. Barak doubtful new sanctions will halt Iran's nuke drive

...I don't believe that this amount of sanctions and pressure will bring the Iranian leadership to the conclusion that they have to stop their nuclear military program," Barak stated.

http://www.jpost.com/IranianThreat/News/Article.aspx?id=265214

[cstanleytech]

4. Heres what I dont understand.

If they never intended to make a nuke weapon then why were they pushing forward with the program to build the facilities?
It cant be because they need the energy, they have tons of oil they could sell to invest in a solar panel system if its a case of them needing electricity and its both free from the sun not to mention no issues with radioactive wastes to deal with.
It just doesnt add up.

[Prometheus Bound]

5. Iran has solar, wind and hydro plants and is planning a geothermal one.

Solar

07/22/11

Iran Opens Major Solar Power Plant

Source: Fars News Agency; photos by Hossein Hosseinzadeh, ISNA

Iran's largest solar power plant was officially inaugurated in the country's Northeastern city of Mashhad in a ceremony attended by First Vice-President Mohammad Reza Rahimi.

The solar power plant, designed and built by native experts, went on stream in the holy city of Mashhad, 850 kilometers (530 miles) east of the Iranian capital city of Tehran, on Thursday.

The plant makes use of 216 solar panels, and is equipped with solar trackers that deliver the highest solar energy production. The power plant would produce enough electricity to power Khorassan province's Regional Electric Company building.

According to the chief executive of Mashhad solar energy plant Qolam Reza Karamian, the plant is expected to generate 72,000 kilowatt hours of electrical power each year.

The plant aims to make optimum use of energies from natural resources to develop clean energy that help reduce pollution to the environment, and to stabilize the electricity supply in the region.

Earlier this month, Iranian experts and engineers managed to build the country's first wind-solar hybrid power plant in Kharg Island, Southern Iran.

The plant, with a daily capacity of 50 kWh of electricity, was installed in the Kharg island in the Persian Gulf by the Iranian experts at a cost of $100,000.
http://www.payvand.com/news/11/jul/1220.html

Hydro-electricity

Hydroelectric Power Plants in Iran
http://www.industcards.com/hydro-iran.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Hydroelectric_power_stations_in_Iran

Wind

Wind power in Iran
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJump to: navigation, search
As a further drive toward diversification of energy sources, Iran has also established wind farms in several areas, this one near Manjeel.Wind power in Iran has been experiencing a growth in wind generation in recent years, and has a plan to substantially increase wind generation each year. Iran is the sole center producing wind turbines in the Middle East.[1]

In 2006, Iran generated 45 megawatts of electricity from wind power (ranked 30th in the world). This was a 40% increase over 32 megawatts in 2005. Total wind generation in 2004 was 25 megawatts out of 33,000 megawatts total electrical generation capacity for the country. In 2008, Iran's wind power plants in Manjil (in Gilan province) and Binaloud (in Razavi Khorasan province) produce 128 megawatts of electricity. By 2009, Iran had wind power capacity of 130 MW.[2][3]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_power_in_Iran
http://www.evwind.es/noticias.php?id_not=11442

Geothermal

August 29, 2011
Iran plans 5 MW geothermal power plant at Meshkin-Shahr, Northwestern Iran
http://thinkgeoenergy.com/archives/8437

[Zorro]

10. Here's your answer

IRAN SAYS IT SEEKS TO BUILD NUCLEAR-POWERED BIRDHOUSE

Defends Choice of Science Fair Project

One day after the signing of a controversial deal calling for Russia to deliver nuclear fuel to Iran, Iran’s vice president said that it only sought the fuel because it plans to build the world’s first nuclear-powered birdhouse.

At a press conference in Tehran today, Vice President Gholamreza Aghazadeh showed reporters extensive plans for the birdhouse, which, if constructed, would be the first of its kind anywhere in the world.

Calling the state-of-the-art birdhouse a potential boon for Iranian tourism, Mr. Aghazadeh said, “We believe that people will come from far and wide to see this awesome birdhouse.”

More at: http://www.borowitzreport.com/2005/02/28/iran-says-it-seeks-to-build/

[daleo]

11. It's a deterrent

They are being coy, same as Israel.

[cstanleytech]

12. From what? The only time we sent troops in was when they took hostages other than that

we werent a threat to them as far as an invasion goes and none of their neighbors has shown themselves to be a level of threat that Iraq couldnt already handle without the use of nukes.
What I also find odd about this whole thing with Iraq is how some people here on the DU go from being anti-nuclear when it comes to reactors and weapons to being pro nuclear and go out of their way to defend Iraqs "right" to build nuclear reactors even though they dont really need the reactors.

[DonCoquixote]

6. The hidden answer

Because when he invaded Iraq, we sent a clear signal that once you make the nukes, you are safe.

[bananas]

7. Nope - that's a common misconception which only leads to more problems.

Iraq did have WMD's when Poppy Bush invaded back in 1990,
the clear message was that having WMD's will not make a county safe.
If you think a handful of nukes would stop the neocons from attacking, you are sadly mistaken.
India has nukes, but wants more, because they don't feel safe.
Pakistan has nukes, but they want more, because they don't feel safe.
Having nukes does not make a country safe.

[DonCoquixote]

8. Nope

Because right now, there are people saying "Iraq got conquered because they did not get the nukes fast enough."

[bananas]

9. As I said, that's a common misconception which only leads to more problems. nt