Equipment move reignites fears Iran aims to develop nuclear bomb

Iran has begun moving machines that enrich uranium to an underground bunker near the city of Qom, a move likely to fan fears of an advance towards nuclear weapons capability.

“Transferring Natanz centrifuges to Fordow [near Qom] is under way with full observance of standards,” Fereydoun Abbasi-Davani told state broadcaster IRIB yesterday.

Iran announced in June that it would shift its production of higher-grade uranium from its main enrichment complex in the central city of Natanz to the subterranean site at Fordow.

Iran denies Western accusations it is seeking to develop nuclear bombs, saying its enrichment programme is meant solely to provide an alternative source of electricity or isotopes for medicine and agriculture.

Iran only disclosed Fordow’s existence to the UN nuclear watchdog in 2009 after learning that Western intelligence agencies had detected the site.

Moving enrichment activity to the underground bunker could offer greater protection against any attacks by Israel or the United States, which have both said they do not rule out pre-emptive strikes to stop Iran getting nuclear weapons.