Iran recently sought to acquire tens of thousands of highly
specialized magnets used in centrifuge machines, according to experts
and diplomats, a sign that the country may be planning a major
expansion of its nuclear program that could shorten the path to
atomic weapons capability. The Washington Post published an article entitled
"Iran’s bid to buy banned magnets stokes fears about major expansion
of nuclear capacity".
"Although Iran has frequently sought to buy banned items from foreign
vendors, this case is considered unusual because of the order’s
specificity and sheer size — enough magnets in theory to outfit 50,000
new centrifuges, or nearly five times the number that Iran currently
operates," the newspaper writes. "The attempt, nonetheless, has fuelled
Western concerns that Iran is planning a major expansion in its
nuclear capacity that would allow it to make atomic weapons quickly if
it chooses to do so."
“They are positioning themselves to make a lot of nuclear progress
quickly. Each step forward makes the situation potentially more
dangerous,” the Washington Post quotes a European diplomat with access
to sensitive intelligence on Iran’s nuclear facilities, speaking on
condition of anonymity.
