Iran nuclear designs revealed

IRAN received black market designs showing how to cast highly radioactive uranium into a form that could serve as the core of a nuclear weapon, diplomats revealed yesterday.

The diplomats were expanding on a report from the International Atomic Energy Agency that Iran had received the detailed designs from the black market network run by Pakistani scientist AQ Khan. His network supplied Libya with information for its now-dismantled nuclear weapons programme.

The document given to Iran showed how to cast “enriched, natural and depleted uranium metal into hemispherical forms”, said a report prepared by the IAEA, the UN’s nuclear monitoring agency.

Diplomats close to the agency said it could indicate a design for the core of a nuclear warhead and a senior US diplomat said Washington was “very concerned” about that.

The report said Iran insisted it had not asked for the designs but was given them anyway by members of the nuclear network.

The revelation was likely to be seized upon by the United States and other nations that insist Iran should be referred to the UN Security Council for what they allege are covert attempts to make nuclear arms.

A decision on the Security Council could come as early as Thursday when the IAEA’s 35-nation board meets in Vienna, with Iran as its main concern.

Even before the newest revelations, most board nations were concerned by Iran’s resumption of uranium conversion - a precursor to uranium enrichment - and its refusal to meet all requests of the IAEA about a nuclear programme that was clandestine for nearly 20 years until discovered three years ago.

Iran insists it only wants to generate nuclear power.