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cover of episode Here’s Why Iran’s Unaccounted for Uranium Worries Experts

Here’s Why Iran’s Unaccounted for Uranium Worries Experts

2025/6/27
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Here's Why

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Jonathan Turone: 我跟踪报道伊朗核问题。伊朗拥有多种铀储备,最令人担忧的是409公斤高浓缩铀,足以制造约10枚核武器。这些高浓缩铀最后一次被监测到是在以色列6月13日空袭开始前几天,存放在伊斯法罕地下设施中。然而,国际原子能机构(IAEA)的总干事格罗西在6月18日表示,IAEA检查员已经无法追踪到这些材料,无法核实其位置。这尤其令人担忧,因为早在空袭开始之前,伊朗外交官就曾告知IAEA,如果以色列真的发动袭击,他们会将这些材料转移到未公开的地点。现在,这些核材料已经与国际核查措施失去联系大约10天了。在空袭开始之前,IAEA的检查员每天都在伊朗进行检查,所有材料都在IAEA的保障措施之下。但空袭开始后,由于安全原因,IAEA无法进入正在遭受袭击的地点进行核查。伊朗也告知IAEA,如果以色列发动袭击,他们会将材料转移到未公开的地点。截至目前,伊朗仍未告知IAEA这些材料的具体位置。此外,伊朗正采取行动限制IAEA在该国的活动,甚至考虑退出《核不扩散条约》。如果伊朗阻止IAEA的检查或退出条约,我们将面临失去对这410公斤高浓缩材料追踪的风险,这些材料可能很快被用于制造核武器。虽然空袭对地面设施造成了严重破坏,但并未考虑到伊朗现有的核材料库存。大约25公斤的高浓缩铀可以装入一个类似潜水罐大小的容器中,这意味着个人或小型车辆可以轻松地将这些材料转移到未公开的地点。浓缩铀的处理要求并不复杂,只有在燃料经过反应堆或炸弹的辐照后才会面临真正的放射性风险。在战争爆发之前,IAEA对伊朗已申报的核材料一直有准确的追踪记录,争议点在于IAEA在几个未申报的地点检测到了年代久远的铀痕量元素,而伊朗不配合调查。即使在最好的情况下,伊朗留在《核不扩散条约》内并继续接受检查,IAEA也需要数年时间才能重建材料衡算基线,这将对不扩散机制构成极其复杂的挑战。 Stephen Carroll: 我是本节目的主持人。 Rafael Mariano Grossi: 我是国际原子能机构总干事。在战争时期,所有核设施都关闭了,因此我们的检查员……

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Following Israeli airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has lost track of 409 kilograms of Iran's highly enriched uranium. This amount is enough to produce around 10 nuclear weapons. The uranium's disappearance raises serious concerns about its potential use and the future of nuclear diplomacy.
  • 409 kilograms of highly enriched uranium missing
  • Enough material for approximately 10 nuclear weapons
  • Last seen before Israeli bombing on June 13th
  • Stored in underground tunnels at Isfahan Complex
  • Transportable in canisters the size of a scuba tank

Shownotes Transcript

Iran’s highly enriched uranium was last seen by UN nuclear monitors a few days before the start of Israel’s bombing campaign on June 13. Its whereabouts are unknown for now, a major cause of concern for experts at the International Atomic Energy Agency. How dangerous is this uranium, and how does nuclear diplomacy proceed from here? Our reporter Jonathan Tirone joins host Stephen Carroll to discuss.

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