Iran's Weapon Grade Uranium

Apparently traces of weapon grade uranium were found at Iran's atomic research sites. Weapons grade uranium must at least 95% pure, while uranium fuel for atomic plants only need to be 5% pure. Thats a 90% difference! Couple that with Iran's interest in space exploration....ICBMs....and Imadinnerjacket wanting to destroy Israel it doesn't look too good. But not to worry, Iran has clarified the issue with the UN.

VIENNA (Reuters) - A pending U.N. watchdog report will say Iran has resolved questions about traces of bomb-grade uranium found at atomic research sites, moving an inquiry into Tehran's nuclear past towards completion, diplomats said.

But they said it appeared Iran would not be forthcoming enough to settle one remaining weighty issue -- alleged links between uranium processing, high explosives tests and missile design -- in time for the report, due between February 20 and 22.

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Big powers welcome the watchdog's progress in uncovering Iran's past covert work. But they worry more about the present -- Tehran testing advanced centrifuges that would allow it to enrich uranium faster and acquire the means to build atom bombs.

They have drafted wider U.N. sanctions against Iran, citing its curbs on inspections hampering efforts to verify its nuclear work has no military dimensions, and its continued defiance of U.N. Security Council orders to suspend the work to win trust.

International Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohamed ElBaradei has said he has made "good progress" in resolving outstanding issues. Security Council members are expected to scrutinize the details in his report before finalizing the new sanctions text.

Diplomats familiar with IAEA investigations said Iran had clarified how and why particles of highly enriched uranium (HEU) turned up in inspections at Tehran's technical university and physics research centre.

They declined to give details of their reasoning but some analysts believe the report could say that the highly enriched uranium came from outside the country rather than from Iranian attempts to build a bomb.

That still doesn't explain why they would have or need weapons grade uranium.