Uranium particles enriched to 83.7% found in Iran: UN

Update This photo released Nov. 5, 2019, by the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, shows centrifuge machines in the Natanz uranium enrichment facility in central Iran. (AP)
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This photo released Nov. 5, 2019, by the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, shows centrifuge machines in the Natanz uranium enrichment facility in central Iran. (AP)
Update An engineer works inside Iran’s Natanz uranium enrichment plant. (File/AFP)
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An engineer works inside Iran’s Natanz uranium enrichment plant. (File/AFP)
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Updated 01 March 2023

Uranium particles enriched to 83.7% found in Iran: UN

  • Report likely will renew tensions between Iran and the West over its program

VIENNA: Inspectors from the United Nations nuclear watchdog found uranium particles enriched up to 83.7 percent in Iran’s underground Fordo nuclear site, a report seen Tuesday by The Associated Press said.
The confidential quarterly report by the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency distributed to member states likely will raise tensions further between Iran and the West over its nuclear program. That’s even as Tehran already faces internal unrest after months of protests and Western anger over sending bomb-carrying drones to Russia for its war on Ukraine.
The IAEA report only speaks about “particles,” suggesting that Iran isn’t building a stockpile of uranium enriched above 60 percent — the level it has been enriching at for some time.
The IAEA report described inspectors discovering on Jan. 21 that two cascades of IR-6 centrifuges at Iran’s Fordo facility had been configured in a way “substantially different” to what had been previously declared. The IAEA took samples the following day, which showed particles up to 83.7 percent purity, the report said.
“Iran informed the agency that ‘unintended fluctuations’ in enrichment levels may have occurred during the transition period,” the IAEA report said. “Discussions between the agency and Iran to clarify the matter are ongoing.”
The IAEA report also said that it would “further increase the frequency and intensity of agency verification activities” at Fordo after the discovery.
Iran’s mission to the United Nations told the AP that Massimo Aparo, a top IAEA official, visited the Islamic Republic last week “and checked the alleged enrichment rate.”
“Based on Iran’s assessment, the alleged enrichment percentage between Iran and the IAEA is resolved,” the mission contended. “Due to the IAEA report being prepared before his trip, his trip’s results aren’t in it and hopefully the IAEA director-general will mention it in his oral report to the board of governors” in March.
A spokesman for Iran’s civilian nuclear program, Behrouz Kamalvandi, also sought last week to portray any detection of uranium particles enriched to that level as a momentary side effect of trying to reach a finished product of 60 percent purity. However, experts say such a great variance in the purity even at the atomic level would appear suspicious to inspectors.
Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal limited Tehran’s uranium stockpile to 300 kilograms (661 pounds) and enrichment to 3.67 percent — enough to fuel a nuclear power plant. The US’ unilateral withdraw from the accord in 2018 set in motion a series of attacks and escalations by Tehran over its program.
Iran has been producing uranium enriched to 60 percent purity — a level for which nonproliferation experts already say Tehran has no civilian use. The IAEA report put Iran’s uranium stockpile as of Feb. 12 at some 3,760 kilogram (8,289 pounds) — an increase of 87.1 kilograms (192 pounds) since its last quarterly report in November. Of that, 87.5 kilograms (192 pounds) is enriched up to 60 percent purity.
Uranium at nearly 84 percent is almost at weapons-grade levels of 90 percent — meaning any stockpile of that material could be quickly used to produce an atomic bomb if Iran chooses.
While the IAEA’s director-general has warned Iran now has enough uranium to produce “several” bombs, months more would likely be needed to build a weapon and potentially miniaturize it to put it on a missile. The US intelligence community, as recently as this past weekend, has maintained its assessment that Iran isn’t pursuing an atomic bomb.
“To the best of our knowledge, we don’t believe that the supreme leader in Iran has yet made a decision to resume the weaponization program that we judge they suspended or stopped at the end of 2003,” CIA Director Williams Burns told CBS’ “Face the Nation” program. “But the other two legs of the stool, meaning enrichment programs, they’ve obviously advanced very far.”
But Fordo, which sits under a mountain near the holy Shiite city of Qom, some 90 kilometers (55 miles) southwest of Tehran, remains a special concern for the international community. It is about the size of a football field, large enough to house 3,000 centrifuges, but small and hardened enough to lead US officials to suspect it had a military purpose when they exposed the site publicly in 2009.
Meanwhile, a top Defense Department official told the US House of Representative’s Armed Services Committee on Tuesday that Iran could make enough fissile material for one nuclear weapons in under two weeks if Tehran choose to pursue it.
“Iran’s nuclear progress since we left the (deal) has been remarkable,” Colin Kahl said. “Back in 2018, when the previous administration decided to leave the (deal), it would have taken Iran about 12 months to produce one bomb’s worth of fissile material. Now it would take about 12 days.”
Any explanation from Iran, however, likely won’t be enough to satisfy Israel, Iran’s regional archrival. Already, Israel’s recently reinstalled Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has threatened military actions against Tehran. And Israel and Iran have been engaged in a high-stakes shadow war across the wider Middle East since the nuclear deal’s collapse.
Meanwhile Tuesday, Germany’s foreign minister said both her country and Israel are worried about the allegations facing Iran over the nearly 84 percent enriched uranium.
“We are united by concern about the nuclear escalation on Iran’s part and about the recent reports about the very high uranium enrichment,” Annalena Baerbock said. “There is no plausible civilian justification for such a high enrichment level.”
Speaking in Berlin, Israel’s visiting foreign minister, Eli Cohen, pointed to two options to deal with Iran — using a so-called “snapback” mechanism in the Security Council resolution that enshrined the 2015 nuclear deal to reimpose UN sanctions, and “to have a credible military option on the table as well.”
“From our intelligence and from our knowledge, this is the right time to work on these two specific steps,” he said.


Arab League calls for serious measures to end Israeli occupation

Arab League calls for serious measures to end Israeli occupation
Updated 9 sec ago

Arab League calls for serious measures to end Israeli occupation

Arab League calls for serious measures to end Israeli occupation
  • AL’s General Secretariat underlined the need to grant Palestinians the right to freedom, stop Israeli violations
  • Statement reaffirmed full support for Palestinians’ right to self-determination, independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital

CAIRO: On the commemoration of the 47th Palestinian Land Day, the Arab League has called on the international community to take serious measures to end the Israeli occupation of Palestine.
The AL’s General Secretariat underlined the need to grant Palestinians the right to freedom and independence, reported Kuwait News Agency on Thursday.
In a statement issued by the General Secretariat, the league called for an end to the continuous Israeli crimes against Palestinians, adding that over 90 Palestinians were killed, among them 17 children, and over 400 others were injured since the beginning of 2023.
The statement reaffirmed the league’s full support for Palestinians’ right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital. It called on the UN and the international community to “carry out their responsibilities toward the Palestinian people.”
The league further stressed the necessity of “immediate action to stop the continuous daily crimes against the Palestinian people,” calling on the UN Security Council to mount more pressure on Israel “to stop its policies and violations against the Palestinians.”
The statement pointed out that Palestinians, who have been facing organized persecution for over 75 years of occupation, “are suffering today...at the hands of a far-right-fascist extremist government that has been practicing more uprooting, displacements, mass killings and executions over the past days and weeks.”
The Land Day remembers the events of 1976 that followed the Israeli government’s announcement of a plan to expropriate large swathes of Arab land for state purposes. A general strike and marches were organized in Arab towns from Galilee to Negev, resulting in confrontations with the Israeli army and police.palestinians


Deliveroo joins UAE Ramadan campaign to provide sustainable food aid

Deliveroo joins UAE Ramadan campaign to provide sustainable food aid
Updated 44 min 25 sec ago

Deliveroo joins UAE Ramadan campaign to provide sustainable food aid

Deliveroo joins UAE Ramadan campaign to provide sustainable food aid
  • App users can donate the value of meals ranging from AED 10-500 toward the campaign
  • Emirati businessman Gheyath Mohammed Gheyath announces a AED 5m donation to the campaign

DUBAI: Food delivery company Deliveroo has announced its participation in the UAE’s “1 Billion Meals Endowment” campaign, Emirates News Agency reported on Thursday. 

The Ramadan campaign, launched by Dubai Ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, aims to create a sustainable and resilient food aid system to combat hunger and provide a safety net for vulnerable groups

Deliveroo users can donate the value of meals through the app in denominations ranging from AED 10-500 ($2.70-$136).

Anis Harb, general manager at Deliveroo Middle East, said that the company is proud to take part in the initiative, which expands on the company’s corporate social responsibility program addressing food insecurity in 10 countries. 

Meanwhile, Gheyath Mohammad Gheyath, owner of GINCO Group of Companies, recently announced a AED 5 million pledge to the Ramadan campaign.

“The ‘1 Billion Meals Endowment’ campaign is testament to the values of giving and generosity deep rooted in the UAE since its foundation, as it will surely encourage members of its community to compete in virtue to support this humanitarian endeavor,” Gheyath said. 

 


Abu Dhabi University advances in World University Rankings by Subject

Abu Dhabi University advances in World University Rankings by Subject
Updated 30 March 2023

Abu Dhabi University advances in World University Rankings by Subject

Abu Dhabi University advances in World University Rankings by Subject
  • The university’s business and management studies department climbed at least 250 places, ranking between 251 and 300 globally and second in the UAE
  • Chancellor Ghassan Aouad said the university takes pride in its distinguished position as a leading academic institution that helps generations develop through academic excellence

ABU DHABI: Abu Dhabi University has advanced in the Quacquarelli Symonds World Rankings by Subject 2023 across a number of disciplines.
The improvement in its ranking for business and management studies was particularly impressive, as it climbed at least 250 places to be placed between 251 and 300 globally and second in the UAE, reflecting its academic excellence, the Emirates News Agency reported on Thursday.
The university earned a place on the social sciences and management list for the first time, ranking between 451 and 500 globally and third nationally. It also ranked between 451 and 500 globally and fifth in the UAE on the engineering — mechanical, aeronautical and manufacturing list, which was described as a significant achievement.
The rankings are compiled annually to help prospective students identify the leading universities in particular subjects. They are based on research citations and the results of global surveys of employers and academics.
The university’s chancellor, Prof. Ghassan Aouad, said that staff take pride in the university’s distinguished position as a leading academic institution that continuously upskills and grows generations through academic excellence.
“We are thrilled to witness the rapid advancement in the QS World Rankings by Subject year after year, reflecting the tireless efforts by every member of our workforce, including faculty and staff, to grow and develop our curricula,” said Aouad.
“We remain dedicated to providing our students and faculty with competitive opportunities that foster innovation and spur distinguished research to upskill their talent across various disciplines.”
The improved rankings were described as a testament to the university’s commitment to providing students with a world-class educational experience and diverse skills that align with job market requirements.
In 2022, the university achieved a five-star rating in the prestigious Quacquarelli Symonds Stars Rating, receiving the highest possible rating across the categories of teaching, employability, internationalization, research, online learning, facilities and inclusiveness.
The QS World University Rankings is one of the two international ratings that have received International Ranking Expert Group approval and is considered one of the most widely referenced indices of its kind.


Palestinians commemorate Land Day, remember sacrifices

Palestinians commemorate Land Day, remember sacrifices
Updated 30 March 2023

Palestinians commemorate Land Day, remember sacrifices

Palestinians commemorate Land Day, remember sacrifices
  • Young men, carrying Palestinian flags, approached the fence separating the Gaza Strip and Israel
  • Land Day is a day of commemoration for Arab citizens of Israel and Palestinians of the events of March 30, 1976 in Israel

GAZA CITY: Thousands of Palestinians commemorated Land Day on the eastern borders of the Gaza Strip and beyond, as political leaders urged unity and unswerving support for the right of return of refugees.
A main sit-in and festival was held on the border on Thursday, while other activities took place within the enclave, in the Palestinian territories and in Arab towns in Israel.
Young men, carrying Palestinian flags, approached the fence separating the Gaza Strip and Israel, while representatives of the factions delivered speeches. The Israeli army fired tear gas canisters at the demonstrators.
Land Day is a day of commemoration for Arab citizens of Israel and Palestinians of the events of March 30, 1976 in Israel. A general strike and marches were organized in Arab towns in response to the Israeli government’s announcement of a plan to expropriate thousands of dunams of land.
Six unarmed Arab citizens were killed, 100 were wounded and hundreds of others were arrested during clashes with Israeli forces.
Meanwhile, the 2018–2019 Gaza border protests, dubbed the Great March of Return, were a series of demonstrations held each Friday near the Gaza-Israel border from 30 March 2018 to Dec. 27, 2019, during which at least 217 people including 48 children were killed.
The demonstrators demanded that Palestinian refugees be allowed to return to ancestral land in what is now Israel. They also protested against Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip and the US recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
Khaled Al-Batsh of Islamic Jihad’s political bureau said: “We have no choice but to have unity in the face of confrontation, for a path to liberation that passes through the barrels of rifles.”
Hamas leader Ismail Radwan said: “We affirm our adherence to the right of return, and we call for the pilgrimage to Al-Aqsa Mosque and the escalation at all points of contact with the occupation.”
Mustafa Ibrahim, a political analyst, said that this year’s Land Day protests were not expected to take a violent turn.
“It is not expected that we will return to daily or weekly protests on the border, but the factions always like to put pressure on the occupation and remind it of what could happen on the Gaza border again.
“The protests were within a certain period and they achieved their goals, according to the factions. I do not think that we will return to that model again in the current period, and we cannot deny that the Palestinian losses were great.”
Delivering a speech at the Gaza border, Mohsen Abu Ramadan, head of the National Committee, said: “Land Day carries a lot of meaning. The anniversary of Land Day comes this year under a fascist right-wing government, which constitutes an opportunity to raise the Palestinian issue in the international arena.
“The most important lesson of the immortal Land Day is national unity around a national strategy to advance our cause.”
 


Turkiye and Iraq to thrash out oil deal after arbitration ruling ends Kurdish exports

Turkiye and Iraq to thrash out oil deal after arbitration ruling ends Kurdish exports
Updated 30 March 2023

Turkiye and Iraq to thrash out oil deal after arbitration ruling ends Kurdish exports

Turkiye and Iraq to thrash out oil deal after arbitration ruling ends Kurdish exports
  • Arbitration ruling ordered Ankara to pay $1.4 billion to Baghdad for violating contracts by buying directly from the Kurdistan Regional Government
  • Officials from Iraq’s Oil Ministry are expected to travel to Turkiye to negotiate a new method for exporting northern Iraq’s oil

ANKARA: Turkiye is being urged to thrash out a new oil deal with Iraq after a landmark arbitration ruling ordered Ankara to pay $1.4 billion to Baghdad for violating contracts by buying directly from the Kurdistan Regional Government.

Officials from Iraq’s Oil Ministry are expected to travel to Turkiye to negotiate a new method for exporting northern Iraq’s oil after the International Court of Arbitration’s ruling last week in a case stretching back almost a decade. 

The ruling has stopped Iraqi Kurdistan’s 450,000 bpd exports, and raised fears of instability and economic crisis in the semi-autonomous region. Exports must now have the consent of Baghdad and both sides in Iraq must strike a larger agreement before oil production can fully resume. 

Iraq sued Turkiye in 2014 over direct sales from the KRG and asked for $33 billion in compensation. It has maintained that the KRG cannot use national pipelines to sell oil and that Turkey’s deal with the region violated a 1973 pipeline-transit agreement between the two countries. 

Bilgay Duman, coordinator of Iraq studies at the Ankara-based think-tank ORSAM, said that the case reflected the longstanding disagreement between Baghdad and the Kurdish regional administration. 

“Turkiye, which will respect the international arbitration ruling, showed its readiness to fulfill its obligations deriving from the international law and to contribute to the de-escalation of the disagreement between its two regional partners,” he told Arab News. 

He said that Turkiye’s deal with the KRG from 2013 had an indemnity clause that required any compensation to be paid by Irbil. However, he added: “To what extent the compensation that Ankara will pay to Iraq will be indemnified by the Kurdistan Regional Government is still unknown.”

According to Duman, the disagreement also arose from legal loopholes in Iraq about the control of newly discovered oil fields that were being exploited by the KRG.

Experts say that the ruling will hurt the KRG economy, which made $5.7 billion from oil last year.

“Baghdad appears to be ready to accept financial losses to gain sovereignty over oil,” said Yerevan Saeed, a research associate at the Arab Gulf Institute in Washington. “This has real-life consequences for Kurds in the Kurdistan region. The Kurdistan economy is heavily dependent on oil.” 

He said the suspension of oil sales raised both financial and security issues for the KRG. 

“The best way forward is for Ankara to play a constructive role by mediating between Irbil and Baghdad,” he said.

“If Turkiye and Baghdad are going to try to bypass the KRG to reach a state-to-state agreement, this could lead to a resurgence of Kurdish nationalism that will stir instability in the region,” he added.

Turkiye meanwhile would need to look to oil from Russia and Iran to fill the hole left by the loss of KRG oil.  

Rich Outzen, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, said the effects of the arbitration ruling would be felt most keenly in the KRG but also Iraq. “It will hurt Iraq too as long as oil is not flowing. Turkiye and Iraq will work a deal that will involve less than the full penalty in my view,” he told Arab News. 

Outzen said that the US, which provides budget support to Baghdad, should press for a quick deal with Ankara and resumption of trade. “Oil costs are affected as world oil prices increase. The latest ruling affects the Iraqi Turkish Pipeline, not trucks, so some may still move by truck,” he said.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani recently paid an official visit to Turkiye, where he discussed a project to build a land and rail corridor from Basra to the Turkish border.