ABSTRACT
Iran's current nuclear effort (like that of the Shah) is specifically designed to support an independent nuclear power programme, including the ability to enrich uranium for nuclear fuel, but the programme is years away from achieving its stated objective. At the front end of the fuel cycle, mining and milling facilities are under development at Saghand and Gchine to produce natural uranium in the form of yellowcake. At the Uranium Conversion Facility (UCF), located at the Esfahan Nuclear Technology Center (ENTC), Iran has begun testing the capability to convert yellowcake into uranium hexafluoride (UF6), feed material for Iran's pilot-and industrial-scale centrifuge enrichment facilities under construction at the Natanz enrichment facility. If the
Iranian nuclear fuel cycle
current suspension is lifted, the pilot-scale enrich-
ment facility at Natanz could be completed within a
few years, but the larger industrial-scale enrichment
plant is probably a decade or so from full operation.
