News / National
Iran, Zimbabwe uranium deal imminent
04 May 2011 at 22:57hrs | Views
It is reported that a relationship is developing between Iran and Zimbabwe over uranium ore, which Iran needs. According to Avi Jorisch, President of the Red Cell Intelligence Group in the United States, Iran does not have great quantities of the uranium itself and is on a global search for countries that could provide it.
Jorisch said intelligence reports recently leaked by the U.N. International Atomic Energy Agency, show that Iran has decided that Congo, Nigeria, Senegal and Zimbabwe are the countries with uranium that are most likely to provide it. And it appears Zimbabwe has been targeted as "the most promising source".
"It seems like a good marriage between two regimes that are under sanctions from the West," Jorisch told SW Radio Africa on Wednesday. He added that Iran and China are willing to "play ball" with the Mugabe regime and are "not terribly concerned" about human rights. In return Zimbabwe is mostly interested in oil and financial support from Iran.
The U.S. and its allies already have strict sanctions in place against Iran due to its refusal to cooperate with the Atomic Energy Agency. But Iran has persisted with its program, claiming it is developing nuclear power and not weapons. The Mugabe regime is also under targeted restrictions by the U.S. and the European Union, due to continued human rights abuses.
Jorisch explained that negotiations took place when the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visited Harare in April 2010 and "expressed personal interest in Zimbabwe's uranium". But the uranium is not located near any traditional mining site and cannot be extracted without raising international attention. "That could lead to further restrictions on both countries," said the former US Treasury Department official.
Jorisch said Iran has claimed that a contract for uranium from Zimbabwe was drawn up and signed last year. Robert Mugabe denied the reports, but stressed that Iran had the right to apply for the substance.
Zimbabwe has an estimated 455,000 tons of uranium in Kanyemba, North of Harare, but does not have the resources to extract the uranium ore.
Jorisch and the Red Cell Intelligence Group are recommending that Washington closely monitor the relationship between Iran and Zimbabwe, with the aim of taking punitive action should Iran secure uranium from the Mugabe regime.
They also recommend action against businesses and institutions that assist Iran in its pursuit of uranium.
Jorisch said intelligence reports recently leaked by the U.N. International Atomic Energy Agency, show that Iran has decided that Congo, Nigeria, Senegal and Zimbabwe are the countries with uranium that are most likely to provide it. And it appears Zimbabwe has been targeted as "the most promising source".
"It seems like a good marriage between two regimes that are under sanctions from the West," Jorisch told SW Radio Africa on Wednesday. He added that Iran and China are willing to "play ball" with the Mugabe regime and are "not terribly concerned" about human rights. In return Zimbabwe is mostly interested in oil and financial support from Iran.
The U.S. and its allies already have strict sanctions in place against Iran due to its refusal to cooperate with the Atomic Energy Agency. But Iran has persisted with its program, claiming it is developing nuclear power and not weapons. The Mugabe regime is also under targeted restrictions by the U.S. and the European Union, due to continued human rights abuses.
Jorisch said Iran has claimed that a contract for uranium from Zimbabwe was drawn up and signed last year. Robert Mugabe denied the reports, but stressed that Iran had the right to apply for the substance.
Zimbabwe has an estimated 455,000 tons of uranium in Kanyemba, North of Harare, but does not have the resources to extract the uranium ore.
Jorisch and the Red Cell Intelligence Group are recommending that Washington closely monitor the relationship between Iran and Zimbabwe, with the aim of taking punitive action should Iran secure uranium from the Mugabe regime.
They also recommend action against businesses and institutions that assist Iran in its pursuit of uranium.
Source - SWRadio
