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American Morning
Is Iran Getting Ready to Build Nuclear Weapons?
Aired December 13, 2002 - 08:19 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Is Iraq (sic) getting ready to build nuclear weapons? Well, U.S. officials say satellite images show two potential nuclear facilities under construction, but Iran says its nuclear energy program is strictly for civilian use, not for weapon building.
Joining us now from Washington with a different perspective on all this is Corey Hinderstein with the Institute for Science and International Security.
Good morning, Corey.
Thanks for joining us.
COREY HINDERSTEIN, INSTITUTE FOR SCIENCE & NATIONAL SECURITY: Thank you for having me.
ZAHN: Let's talk a little bit about the significance of these images that were recorded in mid-September. What do they show us exactly?
HINDERSTEIN: Well, what they show are two different nuclear facilities under construction in Iran. One of the facilities appears to be a heavy water plant and the other facility appears to be a uranium enrichment plant, possibly centrifuges.
ZAHN: All right, let's talk about the Bashir plant. That's the one that you're referring to as a heavy water plant?
HINDERSTEIN: No, the Bashir reactors are actually, that's a project being constructed by the Russians. That is a completely declared and civil project. Those are nuclear reactors. The heavy water plant is an actual plant that's designed to produce heavy water, which would be used in a nuclear reactor. But the Bashir reactors don't require heavy water. So we certainly have the question for what purpose are they planning to produce heavy water?
ZAHN: So let me get this straight, there's no evidence that anything has been done wrong in Bashir?
HINDERSTEIN: That's right.
ZAHN: It's the Iraq (sic) facility you're talking about, the heavy water plant, that raises some questions. What is it the administration has to be concerned about right now?
HINDERSTEIN: Well, they certainly have to be concerned that Iran is developing a secret nuclear infrastructure that is addressing the entire nuclear fuel cycle. They have indicated in the past they would like to develop their fuel cycle facilities but they have committed to doing that openly and with inspections.
The IAEA, International Atomic Energy Agency, has not yet been able to visit these facilities and they have not been declared to the IAEA.
ZAHN: Now, the expressed reason for that, that they were postponed was why? Just the Iranian officials just absolutely refused?
HINDERSTEIN: Well, they keep putting it off. They haven't refused, they've actually said that they will allow IAEA officials to visit these sites, but the trip has been postponed a few times, including one visit which was supposed to take place this week. And the inspectors are hoping to go in February now, although we've seen that that's by no means certain.
ZAHN: How suspect are these postponements?
HINDERSTEIN: Well, it's certainly suspicious, but I think what it is mostly is a kind of a show of bad faith on the part of the Iranians. If they are developing a purely civil nuclear fuel cycle, then they should be completely open to having inspectors visit the sites and know everything about their design specifications. If they have something to hide, then they would keep obstructing.
ZAHN: Let's come back to that second compound, I guess called Matanz (ph)...
HINDERSTEIN: Matanz.
ZAHN: ... that gives you great concern. We're going to show some pictures of that.
HINDERSTEIN: Sure.
ZAHN: And express to us what is so deeply troubling about this image?
HINDERSTEIN: Well, we believe that this is a uranium enrichment facility possibly using gas centrifuges. And, again, this is a technology would could have civilian use. But it certainly does also have implications in a bomb program and so it's crucial that we get some answers about what's happening at this facility.
ZAHN: Nuclear expert David Albright has said this, "I am very worried that these facilities are so large and so advanced and no inspectors have yet visited them to see what's going on."
Just a final thought about your level of concern at your agency.
HINDERSTEIN: Well, we're certainly concerned. We don't think that this program has gone beyond the point of no return. But we think it's of the utmost importance to answer these questions thoroughly and soon.
ZAHN: We would love to have you come back. Let's just see how often these inspections are postponed.
Corey Hinderstein.
HINDERSTEIN: Thank you.
ZAHN: As always, great to have you with us.
Appreciate your time.
HINDERSTEIN: Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired December 13, 2002 - 08:19 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Is Iraq (sic) getting ready to build nuclear weapons? Well, U.S. officials say satellite images show two potential nuclear facilities under construction, but Iran says its nuclear energy program is strictly for civilian use, not for weapon building.
Joining us now from Washington with a different perspective on all this is Corey Hinderstein with the Institute for Science and International Security.
Good morning, Corey.
Thanks for joining us.
COREY HINDERSTEIN, INSTITUTE FOR SCIENCE & NATIONAL SECURITY: Thank you for having me.
ZAHN: Let's talk a little bit about the significance of these images that were recorded in mid-September. What do they show us exactly?
HINDERSTEIN: Well, what they show are two different nuclear facilities under construction in Iran. One of the facilities appears to be a heavy water plant and the other facility appears to be a uranium enrichment plant, possibly centrifuges.
ZAHN: All right, let's talk about the Bashir plant. That's the one that you're referring to as a heavy water plant?
HINDERSTEIN: No, the Bashir reactors are actually, that's a project being constructed by the Russians. That is a completely declared and civil project. Those are nuclear reactors. The heavy water plant is an actual plant that's designed to produce heavy water, which would be used in a nuclear reactor. But the Bashir reactors don't require heavy water. So we certainly have the question for what purpose are they planning to produce heavy water?
ZAHN: So let me get this straight, there's no evidence that anything has been done wrong in Bashir?
HINDERSTEIN: That's right.
ZAHN: It's the Iraq (sic) facility you're talking about, the heavy water plant, that raises some questions. What is it the administration has to be concerned about right now?
HINDERSTEIN: Well, they certainly have to be concerned that Iran is developing a secret nuclear infrastructure that is addressing the entire nuclear fuel cycle. They have indicated in the past they would like to develop their fuel cycle facilities but they have committed to doing that openly and with inspections.
The IAEA, International Atomic Energy Agency, has not yet been able to visit these facilities and they have not been declared to the IAEA.
ZAHN: Now, the expressed reason for that, that they were postponed was why? Just the Iranian officials just absolutely refused?
HINDERSTEIN: Well, they keep putting it off. They haven't refused, they've actually said that they will allow IAEA officials to visit these sites, but the trip has been postponed a few times, including one visit which was supposed to take place this week. And the inspectors are hoping to go in February now, although we've seen that that's by no means certain.
ZAHN: How suspect are these postponements?
HINDERSTEIN: Well, it's certainly suspicious, but I think what it is mostly is a kind of a show of bad faith on the part of the Iranians. If they are developing a purely civil nuclear fuel cycle, then they should be completely open to having inspectors visit the sites and know everything about their design specifications. If they have something to hide, then they would keep obstructing.
ZAHN: Let's come back to that second compound, I guess called Matanz (ph)...
HINDERSTEIN: Matanz.
ZAHN: ... that gives you great concern. We're going to show some pictures of that.
HINDERSTEIN: Sure.
ZAHN: And express to us what is so deeply troubling about this image?
HINDERSTEIN: Well, we believe that this is a uranium enrichment facility possibly using gas centrifuges. And, again, this is a technology would could have civilian use. But it certainly does also have implications in a bomb program and so it's crucial that we get some answers about what's happening at this facility.
ZAHN: Nuclear expert David Albright has said this, "I am very worried that these facilities are so large and so advanced and no inspectors have yet visited them to see what's going on."
Just a final thought about your level of concern at your agency.
HINDERSTEIN: Well, we're certainly concerned. We don't think that this program has gone beyond the point of no return. But we think it's of the utmost importance to answer these questions thoroughly and soon.
ZAHN: We would love to have you come back. Let's just see how often these inspections are postponed.
Corey Hinderstein.
HINDERSTEIN: Thank you.
ZAHN: As always, great to have you with us.
Appreciate your time.
HINDERSTEIN: Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
