Fordow

On Thursday, May 20, 2010, FAS will hold a conference call with members on the technical aspects of Iran’s enrichment program, and the recently issued FAS report– The Twenty Percent Solution: Breaking the Iranian Stalemate.

Dr. Ivan Oelrich, Vice President of the Strategic Security Program, and FAS Researcher Ivanka Barzashka will speak about their proposal to break the Iranian stalemate by reaching a deal to refuel the Tehran research reactor. They will also discuss their assessment of Iran’s enrichment capability, the fuel enrichment plant in Fordow, and Iran’s plan to build ten more enrichment facilities.

Ivanka Barzashka is intrigued by the puzzle that is Iran’s nuclear program. Unlike North Korea’s public pursuit of nuclear weapons, Iran has been steadfast in its denial of developing a nuclear bomb, stating time and time again that it is pursuing a self-sustaining nuclear energy program. The dual-use nature of nuclear technology, specifically uranium enrichment, is at the heart of the uncertainty concerning the Iranian situation.