Whistleblower claims must be investigated, says acting head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization

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Acting director of AEOI Mohammad Ahmadian told the ISNA news agency: "Therefore it is necessary that experts in the field investigate to see how much truth there is in these discussions."

The whistleblower allegations:
- Russian scientists working at the plant have become so concerned by Iran's apparent disregard for nuclear safety issues that they have lobbied the Kremlin directly to postpone activation until at least the end of the year
- the Russian team "cannot guarantee safe activation of the reactor"
- It also accuses the Iranian management team, which is under intense political pressure to stick to the deadline, of "not exhibiting the professional and moral responsibility" that is normally required.
- They accuse the Iranian management of having "disregard for human life"
- Russia could find itself blamed for "another Chernobyl" if it allows Bushehr to go ahead.


Recap of recent events:
Jan 16: Russian whistleblowers working on-site in Iran make a number of serious allegations, warning of "another Chernobyl".
Jan 23: Ali Akbar Salehi is moved from head of Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) to Minister of Foreign Affairs
Jan 23: Mohammad Ahmadian moves from deputy head to acting head of AEOI.
Feb 4: Mohammad Ahmadian as acting head of AEOI says the whistleblower allegations must be investigated.
Feb 13: Fereidoun Abbasi is appointed head of IAEO; he is "on a UN list of individuals under sanction for suspected links to secret nuclear activities" and survived an assassination attempt last November.


References:

Jan 16: Stuxnet virus attack: Russia warns of ‘Iranian Chernobyl' http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/8262853/Russia-warns-of-Iranian-Chernobyl.html

Jan 23: Mohammad Ahmadian "was also Head of Organization for three weeks after Ali Akbar Salehi became Minister of Foreign Affairs" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohammad_Ahmadian
Ali Akbar Salehi "was Head of Atomic Energy Organization of Iran from 16 July 2009 to 23 January 2011." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ali_Akbar_Salehi

Feb 4: Iran says Stuxnet claims need investigating http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/04/us-iran-nuclear-stuxnet-idUSTRE71337T20110204

Feb 13: Iran names bomb attack survivor as nuclear chief ‎http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/eb670886-3787-11e0-b91a-00144feabdc0.html

Nov 30: Bomb blast blamed on Israel and US kills Iran nuclear scientist http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/bomb-blast-blamed-on-israel-and-us-kills-iran-nuclear-scientist-2146996.html

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1. 2009: U.N. Atomic Energy Chief ElBaradei Says Iran Wants Bomb Technology

ElBaradei was in the news recently supporting the Egyptian revolution.
Back in 2009 he said of Iran:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/18/world/18nuke.html

U.N. Atomic Energy Chief Says Iran Wants Bomb Technology
By ALAN COWELL
Published: June 17, 2009

<snip>

“It is my gut feeling that Iran would like to have the technology to enable it to have nuclear weapons,” Dr. ElBaradei said in the interview at the organization’s headquarters in Vienna.

“They want to send a message to their neighbors, to the rest of the world, ‘Don’t mess with us,’ ” he said, urging outside powers to engage with Iran to remove the incentive for making a bomb.

<snip>