Programmes

Iran Update: Number 142

  • Head of Iran's nuclear organization says Tehran still open to fuel swap
  • Iran hails new centrifuge
  • United States focuses on Iranian nuclear program's weapons potential
  • Iranian President assails U.S. President over Nuclear Posture Review
  • International divisions over sanctions continue
  • Iran holds international conference on nuclear weapons and nuclear energy
  • Khatami prevented from visiting Hiroshima

The threat of nuclear terrorism: a race between catastrophe and co-operation

“If there was an incident of nuclear terrorism, what happens thereafter? You can imagine if al Qa’eda attacked. You can see them saying, ‘Actually we’ve got more. We will blast more at a time that we choose.’ Even if it was not true there would be panicked emptying of cities globally. If an incident happened in an American city, the US would be under enormous pressure to use enormous military force to target whoever is connected in any way. You’d have widespread instability and conflict.”

BASIC Research Director Dr. Ian Kearns quoted in The National (Abu Dhabi)

Nuclear summit takes aim at unsecured bomb material

“If leaders at the summit get it right, they could render nuclear power safer to use in the fight against climate change, strengthen the non-proliferation regime, and build further international confidence in … nuclear disarmament.” 

BASIC Research Director Ian Kearns quoted by Reuters in Sundays Zaman.

Read more:

http://www.sundayszaman.com/sunday/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=207074

Getting to Zero Update

In the run up to the NPT Review Conference (3-28 May), there have been a number of critical developments. Russia and the United States have signed the new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, the Obama Administration just released its Nuclear Posture Review, and Washington is about to host one of its largest summits ever, on nuclear security.