Size of Iran’s Uranium Stockpile Significantly Declines

February 21, 2014 | Edited by Lauren Mladenka and Geoff Wilson

Declining stockpile - “The size of Iran's most contested uranium stockpile has declined significantly for the first time in four years following a landmark nuclear deal with world powers in November,” according to the IAEA. “Iran's holding of uranium gas enriched to a fissile purity of 20 percent - a relatively short technical step away from the level required for nuclear weapons - is now well below the amount needed for a bomb, if processed more.”

--“Thursday's report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) also showed, as reported by Reuters earlier this week, that the Islamic Republic was meeting its commitments under the November accord to rein in its most sensitive nuclear activity in exchange for some relief from economic sanctions. Fredrik Dahl has the story in Reuters. http://reut.rs/1fFjyyl

IAEA report shows Iran compliance - The International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) most recent report on Iran shows that Tehran is complying with the terms of a deal negotiated with the P5+1 on November 24,” writes Kelsey Davenport in a piece for Arms Control Now. “The February 20 report confirms that the Joint Plan of Action has halted Iran’s nuclear activities of the greatest proliferation concern and rolled back the program in key areas.”

--“The report also provides more detail on the actions that Iran pledged to take in the November 11 agreement to cooperate with the IAEA. As a result of this information, the IAEA has been able to access sites and facilities related to Iran’s nuclear program and received information about Iran’s future nuclear plans. Additionally, Iran is beginning to provide the IAEA with information about its past activities with possible military dimensions.” Get the full story here. http://bit.ly/1nTjOyf

Re-establishing ties - “As Iran and six world powers including Britain agreed on a framework for further nuclear talks in Vienna, the [UK’s] foreign office announced that Sweden will cease to represent the UK interest section in Iran because London and Tehran were re-establishing direct diplomatic ties,” writes Saeed Kamali Dehghan in The Guardian. Full piece here. http://bit.ly/1gnWLso

Tea leaves on MOX - “Nuclear administration consultant looks at MOX contract options” by Derrek Asberry for the Aiken Standard. http://bit.ly/1hekgVI

--GAO Report: “Plutonium Disposition Program: DOE Needs to Analyze the Root Causes of Cost Increases and Develop Better Cost Estimates.” Report by the Government Accountability Office. http://1.usa.gov/1dagppJ

Nature of compromise - “So far, implementation of the November 24 Joint Plan of Action, which provides for intrusive monitoring and inspection of Iran's nuclear program in exchange for a small amount of sanctions relief, has gone smoothly, and both sides will aim to keep it that way,” writes Laicie Heeley in Truthout. “But there is a wide gap to bridge. Onlookers should not be surprised to see little movement in this first meeting and should even be prepared for a possible extension of the six-month timeline set out in the initial agreement. Initial progress, however, suggests some reason for optimism on what analysts see as the most likely path for a final deal.”

--”Ultimately, no solution to the Iranian nuclear issue will be perfect. If a successful agreement is reached, the US will not achieve all of its aims, and Iran will give much more than it would like,” Heeley says. “A successful deal is one that ensures that Iran cannot build a nuclear weapon without ample warning to the international community. While we cannot guarantee success at this point, we can guarantee that as long as the diplomatic process is allowed to continue, Iran's nuclear program will not be allowed to progress, bringing us one step closer to eliminating the threat of an Iranian nuclear weapon. And that is far more than the United States could have hoped for just a short time ago.” Full article here. http://bit.ly/1gnZfHl

Air Force to change missileer training - “The US Air Force will make changes to how it trains its nuclear missileers in light of a widespread cheating scandal... that has entangled 92 officers at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont., and sidelined almost one-fifth of the entire intercontinental ballistic missile officer corps.” Full story from Defense News. http://bit.ly/1mhLYEa

Colombia ratifies nuclear protocol - “Colombia this week ratified an international protocol that, once enacted, would obligate the South American country to take extra steps on nuclear security,” reports Global Security Newswire. “On Tuesday, Colombia turned over to the International Atomic Energy Agency ratification documents for the Amendment to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Materials.” Full story here. http://bit.ly/1daiQZh

Tweet - @BulletinAtomic: The next Nuclear Security Summit is almost here; what was accomplished at the last one? http://bit.ly/1jUY0oH

Quick-hits:

--“USAF Defends Need for New Long-Range Bomber “ by Aaron Mehta for Defense News. http://bit.ly/1gnTsl9

--“Iran, World Powers Off to ‘Good Start’ in Nuclear Talks” by Patrick J. McDonnell and Ramin Mostaghim in the Los Angeles Times. http://lat.ms/1nTdjeR

--“China Eager to Restart North Korea Nuclear Talks” in Global Security Newswire. http://bit.ly/1jQG1wr

--“Lawmakers: When Did Defense Nominee Know of Alleged Moscow Treaty Breach” report by Global Security Newswire. http://bit.ly/1hBJnGo

Event:

--“Toward a World Without Nuclear Weapons Testing.” Discussion with Karipbek Kuyukov and Roman Vassilenko, Ambassador of Kazakhstan. Feb. 26 from 12:30-2:00, George Washington University, Funger Hall room 209, 2201 G Street NW. RSVP here. http://bit.ly/1f9ozEl