Iran Unveils Nuclear Fuel Rods

By JTA February 15, 2012

Iran has begun loading domestically made nuclear fuel rods into a research reactor in Tehran.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad placed the first Iranian-produced rod into the reactor, according to the official government IRNA news agency.

The rods were produced after Iran failed to come to an agreement with Western nations on purchasing nuclear fuel for the reactor, which is used for nuclear medical treatment.

Iran also announced Wednesday that its Natanz uranium enrichment plant was using domestically manufactured centrifuges with higher speed and higher production capacity.

Iran says its nuclear program is for peaceful, domestic uses, while the West is concerned that it is working to create a nuclear weapon. The West has placed tough sanctions on Iran as it tries to get access to the facilities in order to monitor Iran’s nuclear program, while Israel reportedly has not ruled out a strike on the country’s nuclear production sites.

A message from our Publisher & CEO Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO