Source:
Financial TimesIran has appointed a nuclear scientist who is subject to UN sanctions and survived an attempt on his life as the country’s top nuclear official in a rebuff to international pressure to halt uranium enrichment.
Fereydoon Abbasi-Davani, who has links with the elite Revolutionary Guards and the defence ministry, will head Iran’s Atomic Energy Organisation, the main body that handles technical aspects of the nuclear programme.
Mr Abbasi, 52, replaces Ali-Akbar Salehi, who recently became foreign minister.
Like his predecessors, it is unlikely that Mr Abbasi-Davani will be involved in nuclear talks with major powers. But his appointment indicates Iran’s determination to speed up its uranium enrichment after repeated sabotage, notably by the Stuxnet computer worm, which western diplomats believe has led to setbacks to the nuclear programme.
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Read more:
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/eb670886-3787-11e0-b91a-00144feabdc0.html
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.
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.
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.htmlJan 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_AhmadianAli 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_SalehiFeb 4: Iran says Stuxnet claims need investigating
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/04/us-iran-nuclear-stuxnet-idUSTRE71337T20110204Feb 13: Iran names bomb attack survivor as nuclear chief
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/eb670886-3787-11e0-b91a-00144feabdc0.htmlNov 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