Unless we missed something in how-to-hide-your-nuke-program class, declaring you have an HWR – which is useful only for heavy element enrichment – isn’t really something you’re supposed to do (at least not until you already have a bomb). Iran isn’t even trying to hide their intentions any more:
Good job Europe!
UPDATE: Hold on. Stop worrying – diplomats say Iran isn’t going to use the heavy water for military purposes:
A Western diplomat confirmed that the heavy water project is not being used for military purposes, but added that such an announcement, at a time when the crisis between Iran and the west regarding the nuclear issue is at its peak, is a catastrophic step. Last Tuesday, Iran responded to the ‘carrot and stick’ offer of financial and diplomatic incentives, proposed by the five members of the UN Security Council and Germany, which was intended to goad Iran in halting its nuclear development without resorting to the use of sanctions. Despite the fact that the proposal was extended in June, sources in Tehran refused to respond, causing the six nations to issue an ultimatum to Iran to stop enriching Uranium by August 31.
UPDATE 2: We were a little glib in the original post. Obviously, HWR’s can produce electricity like LWRs. But since Iran is already being offered light water reactors basically for free, the only reason they can be insisting on HWRs it is for plutonium enrichment.
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