Iran turns to Harare for uranium to fuel its nuclear ambitions, secret report finds

Published on Thursday 24 February 2011 14:28

Iran is expanding its covert global search for the uranium it needs for its nuclear activities and a key focus is Zimbabwe, according to a leaked intelligence report.

The report is in line with Western assessments that Iran's domestic supplies cannot sustain its nuclear programme, that could be turned toward making weapons.

The report, from a member country of the International Atomic Energy Agency, claims Iranian foreign minister Ali Akbar Salehi last month secretly met senior Zimbabwean mining officials "to resume negotiations… for the benefit of Iran's uranium procurement plan".

"This follows work carried out by Iranian engineers to map out uranium deposits in Africa and assess the amount of uranium they contain," said the two-page intelligence summary. The report - confirmed by another country - was shared as an Iranian delegation led by the head of the co-operative ministry, Abbas Johari, yesterday met "agriculture and mining interests" in Zimbabwe's capital, Harare.

The official confirming the intelligence described the Salehi visit as part of an international Iranian effort in Africa, Asia and South America and may involve more than a dozen countries. Both officials asked for anonymity. The assessments come days ahead of the latest IAEA report on Iran's nuclear ambitions.