PRESS CONFERENCE BY
MOHAMMAD MOHADDESSIN
FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF RESISTANCE OF IRAN
November 17, 2004
Ladies and gentlemen,
The EU-big 3 signed an agreement with the religious dictatorship ruling Iran on Monday, Nov 15, based on which, in return for the temporary suspension of uranium enrichment by the clerical regime, the European countries pledged to provide a series of economic, political, technological and security incentives to the mullahs. The most disgraceful part of this deal is that the European countries have committed themselves to continue exerting pressure on the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran.
This dirty deal, however, would have no impact on the regime's secret attempts to acquire nuclear weapons. The Iranian regime's leaders are using the negotiations to buy time in order to obtain the bomb.
Today, I will reveal parts of the clerical regime's very secret nuclear program, so far hidden from the international community.
Allow me first to inform you of a nuclear site that belongs to the Ministry of Defense (MD). This key site is a center called: "The Modern Defensive Readiness and Technology Center" (MDRTC) chaired by Mohsen Fakhri Zadeh, one of the highest ranking nuclear experts. The center is located opposite Nobonyad Area, Mozhdeh Street, Lavizan District, Tehran, in the direction of Baba'i expressway.
2. The above site was previously occupied by the Ordnance Factory Support Center, a subunit of the MD. The support center consisted of three battalions called Beheshti, Troop Transport and Heavy Transport. The battalions were ordered by Defense Minister Ali Shamkhani to evacuate the place a year and a half ago and they were replaced by the MDRTC. The site is located in a 60 acre area and has three entrances in Mozhdeh Street.
a. The first entrance is from Hussein Abad Sq. where Beheshti battalion was stationed. There is construction work at this entrance.
b. The second entrance leads to the MDRTC and this is where the troop transport battalion was stationed. Mohsen Fakhri Zadeh's office is located in this part.
c. The third entrance is situated 500 m from the second and this is where the heavy transport battalion was based. There is a sign at the entrance which reads: The Defensive Industries College. This is where Nader Maghsoodi works and the biological and chemical projects are pursued.
3. The Afore-mentioned center is a secret place and protected by many closed-circuit cameras. Visitors are prohibited from entering the place even those who were working in the same place.
4. Here is an account of the premises in the site:
a. There are many premises and installations in the site including administration buildings, heavy transport park, Bus Park, light vehicles park, heavy transport maintenance, gas station and warehouses, all of which have been handed over to the Modern Defensive Readiness and Technology Center.
b. There are also several buildings in the previous place of Beheshti battalion and the above center started building new premises in recent months.
5. All the equipment and devices in Shian Site were completely moved to the new site and the 11 kinds of activities in nuclear and biological warfare performed there have also been transferred to the new site. Here is a detailed report of the matter:
Ministry of Defense Secretly Moves Nuclear
Equipment
In March 2003, the PMOI and the Iranian Resistance disclosed the information about a secret site used by the Defense Ministry. Following the disclosure of the site, the Defense Ministry moved the equipment out of the site and demolished the premises to stop further information of the secret nuclear activities being leaked out.
In March 2004, a series of satellite images taken from Bagh Shian area in Lavizan District were released and it was revealed that the Iranian Ministry of Defense has completely demolished the area and the roads leading to the site in an attempt to eliminate every trace of secret activities.
Subsequently, a team of IAEA inspectors visited Shian site on June 28, 2004. Later, it was stated in ElBaradai's report that there were 11 kinds of activities being performed in the site and the Iranian regime was not willing to explain to the IAEA inspectors about the activities and the equipment in the site.
Here is the recent information obtained by the PMOI about the Defense Ministry's secret activities for completely demolishing the site and moving its equipment elsewhere:
1. Following the disclosure of the
information on Shian site by the
PMOI, the Nuclear Committee of the
Supreme National Security Council
(SNSC) chaired by Hassan Rowhani
had predicted that the IAEA would
certainly visit the site and would
find out about the Ministry's
secret nuclear activities there.
Therefore, the committee decided
to
completely demolish the site.
2. Prior to the demolition, the ministry moved the nuclear activities to the secret site of the MDRTC in the MD Ordnance Factory Support Center.
3. There were two Whole-body
Counters devices in the demolished
site which were purchased by
the Iranian regime from western
countries
in the 90s for peaceful purposes
and the Defense Ministry was
using
them for nuclear research.
One of the devices was moved
to Malek
Ashtar University in Isfahan
(a subunit of the Defense Ministry)
and
the other was moved to a private
clinic in Tehran. The purpose
of such
move was to take the inspectors
to the two places above and
claim that
the devices have been there
since the beginning and thereby
deceive
them.
4. In an attempt to explain the demolition of Shian site, Hassan Rowhani on June 27, 2004 said that the piece of land was owned by the municipality and according to a plan a park was going to be built in the place and the Defense Ministry had reached an agreement with the municipality in this respect. But the municipality's documents regarding the region which the PMOI received a copy of it stated that: "Tehran's municipality area 3 in region 4 (Lavizan District) realized that there were demolition works and earth moving operations going on in a military site in the area and because the municipality authorities were not allowed to enter the site they only reported the event to their superiors."
It was stated in the municipality's documents that the property bore no relation to this office and that there had been no difference between the Defense Ministry and the municipality over that property.
To keep the information of the site from leaking out, the MOIS which is a member of the Nuclear Committee of the SNSC ordered that the municipality's reports regarding the matter be destroyed and the employees who had prepared the reports be moved elsewhere.
5. Regarding the demolition of Shian site, the Iranian regime put up the excuse before the inspectors that the building was demolished as the result of a difference between the Defense Ministry and the municipality and presented a number of articles in the local papers on the issue as a proof of its claim and said that that was the reason for demolishing the building.
Mr. ElBaradai said that he could not accept that in a country like Iran a military body demolishes its premises for the sake of municipality and at the same time he had no reason to reject it.
The Preventive Defense
Strategy
Since 1989, the Iranian
regime has adopted
the strategy
of
preventive defense.
This strategy is based
on
three points:
* Accepting high human
losses in long term
wars
* Obtaining rocket
defense capability
to compensate
for the
weakness of airpower
* Getting armed with
nuclear weapon
The deterrent would
be achieving the nuclear
bomb which stops
the
US attack on Iran.
Following the downfall
of the
Iraqi regime, Tehran
came to this conclusion
that the main reason
that the US
does not
attack North Korea
comparing to Iraq
but negotiates
with her is
the
atomic bomb. So, Iran
is trying to arm herself
with
atomic
bomb to
avoid being attacked.
MD and IAEO, Tehran's
Two Nuclear Wings
The MD and the IAEO
are the two bodies
who are
conducting Iran's
nuclear activities
in a parallel manner.
The
IAEO
is pursuing
the
nuclear power stations
and the fuel cycle
whereas the
MD is
seeking to
achieve the atomic
bomb technology and
keeps
all its activities
secret
from the IAEO. Many
research and preparations
are carried
out
duplicated with huge
expenses.
Commanding the Nuclear
Project
Similar to what
was used in the
armed
forces where
the
army and
the
IRGC were coordinated
in the General
Staff of the
Armed
Forces the
bodies involved in
achieving the
atomic bomb are
coordinated and
led
in the Supreme National
Security Council
(SNSC).
Hassan Rowhani
is the
SNSC secretary and
is in charge of
Iran's nuclear
file. He
is pursuing
the project of
achieving the
atomic bomb with
a team consisting
of
the
chairman of the IAEO
(Gholamreza Agha
Zadeh),
the Minister
of Defense
(Shamkhani), the Minister
of Intelligence
(Ali Younessi),
the Foreign
Minister (Kamal Kharrazi)
and Khamenei's
representative
(Ali
Akbar
Velayati) under Khamenei's
direct supervision.
The Role of Universities
The universities'
experts and professors
play
a substantial role
in
three stages of
weaponization, research
and testing
and producing
atomic weapon. In
this respect, the
IAEO actively
employs
Sharif and
Amir Kabir Universities
in Tehran and the
MD employs Imam
Hussein
University in Tehran
and Malek Ashtar
University in Isfahan
and Karaj.
Organizational Level
of Nuclear Activities
in
the Ministry
of
Defense
Until a while ago,
the nuclear and
biological projects
in the MD
were part of the
activities performed
by the ministry's
Defensive
Research Training
Institute (DRTI)
chaired by Brig.
Gen. Dr. Ali
Husseini Tash. But
these projects
have recently
been put under
direct
control of the MD
and supervised
by the same
person. Husseini
Tash is
now fully concentrating
on these projects
and he has
been promoted
as
deputy Minister
of Defense. He
pursues all the issues
regarding the
nuclear and biological
projects with
the defense minister
Admiral
Shamkhani. After Husseini Tash, the
DRTI is
now chaired by
Muhammad Islami.
In the organization
under Husseini
Tash, a highly
specialized
nuclear expert called
Mohsen Fakhri
Zadeh
is in charge
of the nuclear
projects and Nader
Maghsoodi is in
charge of the
biological projects.
Biographies of Four
Nuclear Scientists
in the Iranian
Defense
Ministry
Name: Mohsen
Surname: Fakhri
Zadeh
Father's Name:
Hassan
DoB: 1961
Marital Status:
Married and has
children
Home address:
Shahid Mahallati
District
development houses,
Tehran
Home telephone
number: 021-2446413
Office address:
The Modern Advanced
Defensive
Technology
Center,
Mozhdeh Street,
Hussein Abad
Square, Lavizan
District, Tehran
Education: Nuclear
engineering
Fakhri Zadeh was
appointed as
a member of the
board of scientists
in Physics College
in the IRGC
Imam Hussein University
since
1991 and he still
occupies the
same position. He
gives lecture
in the
college one day
a week.
He joined the
IRGC in the
early days
of the
Iranian
Revolution
and
still is a member
of the IRGC.
He started his work
with the
Iranian
Ministry of Defense
in nuclear research
works
before 1991.
Fakhri Zadeh is
at the present
time in
charge
of the Ministry
of
Defense nuclear
activities and
is the chairman
of The Modern
Advanced
Defensive Technology
Center.
* * *
Name: Fereydoon
Surname: Abbasi
Father's Name:
Muhammad Hussein
DoB: 1958
Marital Status:
Married with
two children
Home address:
Tehran
Office address:
The Modern
Advanced Defensive
Technology
Center,
Mozhdeh Street,
Hussein Abad
Square, Lavizan
District,
Tehran
Education:
Nuclear engineering
Fereydoon
Abbasi joined
the IRGC
in the early
days of
the
revolution
and actively
participated
in
the Iran-Iraq
war.
Following
the cease-fire
and
while a member
of the IRGC,
Fereydoon
started his
PhD studies
in Physics
in Amir
Kabir University
(Tehran)
and Physics
College (Mashhad)
and
was graduated
in 1992.
He carried
out his research
in target
and detection
under
the
supervision
of Dr.
Rahim Koohi,
dean of Physics
College
in Mashhad
University.
He was
appointed
as a member
of the
board of
scientists
in Physics
College
in
the IRGC Imam
Hussein University
since
1993. Fereydoon
was
later
promoted as
the dean of
Physics
College
and simultaneously
started the
nuclear research
in the Ministry
of Defense.
He
is at the
present time
a prominent
expert in
The Modern
Advanced Defensive
Technology
Center. He
is also the
deputy
chairman
of the
Iranian Physics
Society.
* * *
Name: Mansoor
Surname: Asgari
Father's Name:
Zabihollah
DoB: 1958
Marital
Status:
Married
and
has children
Office
address:
The Modern
Advanced
Defensive
Technology
Center,
Mozhdeh
Street,
Hussein
Abad
Square,
Lavizan
District,
Tehran
Education:
Nuclear
engineering
He is
a member
of
the IRGC
and was
graduated
in 1990
and
started
working
in Physics
College
in the
IRGC Imam
Hussein
University
as
a
member
of the
board
of scientists
and
he still
keeps
the same
position.
Asgari
is presently
giving
lecture
in Physics
College
one and a
half day
a week.
He is
regarded
as an
expert
in The
Modern
Advanced
Defensive
Technology
Center
and works
under
the supervision
of
Fakhri
Zadeh.
* * *
Name:
Majid
Surname:
Reza
Zadeh
Office
address:
Malek
Ashtar
University,
Shahin
Shahr,
Isfahan
Education:
Nuclear
Physics
He
closely
cooperates
with
Mohsen
Fakhri
Zadeh
in
The
Modern
Advanced
Defensive
Technology
Center.
He
is
also
a
member
of
the
board
of
scientists
in
Malek
Ashtar
Universities
of
the
Ministries
of Defense
in
Tehran
and
Isfahan
and
gives
lecture
in
the
two
universities.
Reza
Zadeh
is
also
the
chairman
of
the
sciense
complex
in
Malek
Ashtar
University
in
Isfahan.
Relations
between
the
Ministry
of
Defense
experts
and
the
IAEO
1.
Since 1989
the IRGC
and the
MD started
their organized
activities
to achieve
the atomic
bomb and
by this
way attracted
many nuclear
experts who
pursued secret
but continuous
activities to
reach the
nuclear technologies.
It should
be noted
that Iran's
relations with
Pakistan and
Abdul Ghadi
Khan in
nuclear affairs
started through
the MD.
In
recent years,
400 highly
specialized nuclear
experts were
moved from
the IAEO
to the
MD to
be added
to the
previous expert
already there.
2.
A number
of nuclear
experts who
work in
the MD's
secret nuclear
projects
are:
a.
Dr. Muhammad
Bagher Ghofrani:
He is
a professor
in Sharif
University
and an
ex-official of
the IAEO,
is now
doing research
works
in
the IRGC
and military
institutes for
achieving the
atomic bomb.
He
is expert
on enrichment
processes and
is now
working on
a secret project.
b.
Dr. Muhammadi:
He is
an official
in the
Defense
Industries
Organization
but is
now based
in the
nuclear research
center in
Isfahan.
c.
Muhammad Hussein
Kashvarz
d.
Hussein Sadeghi
e.
Parviz Hussein
kahni
f.
Dr. Ali
Abadi, Malek
Ashtar University,
IRGC
g.
Dr. Muhammad
Hussein Ghezel
Ayagh, Malek
Ashtar University,
IRGC
3.
The Defense
Ministry sends
some of
its specialists
and experts
to
the IAEO
from time
to time
to obtain
the latest
knowledge and
expertise.
Ismaeeli and
Hussein-Zadeh are
among the
people who
have
been
sent to
the IAEO
Jaber Ibn
Hayan Laboratory
for research
and they will
be there
until January
2005. The
laboratory is
located in
Tehran
Nuclear
Research Center
where uranium
hexafluoride is
mixed with
calcium
in order
to produce
uranium metal
referred to
as the
uranium rod.
4.
But the
Defense Ministry
does not
allow the
IAEO experts
to get
the
information on
its research
results because
of its
classification
and
secrecy and
the relation
is one
sided.
Centrifuges
Experts
Two
major centrifuge
experts are
mentioned below:
1.
Behzad (eng.):
He is
in charge
of the
production department
in
Kalaye
Electric Company
and a
highly specialized
expert on
centrifuges
in
the IAEO.
He knows
the latest
situation of
Iran's centrifuges
and
their
capabilities.
Ali
Karimi (eng.):
He works
in the
MD's nuclear
projects under
the
supervision
of Mohsen
Fakhri Zadeh.
He also
works on
the design
and
production
of P2
centrifuges in
the Defense
Industries'
organization.
Names
and Particulars
of Nuclear
Scientists in
Iran's Military
Organs
The
scientists and
professors who
work in
the military
institutes
or
give consultations
to them
are as
follows:
*
Dr. Ali
Pazirandeh: He
is a
nuclear physics
professor in
Tehran
University
and cooperates
with the
Special Industries
in the
Military
Industries
Organization under
the Defense
Ministry.
Pazirandeh
is considered
a high
level nuclear
scientist.
*
Dr. Muhammadi:
He is
a nuclear
specialist in
assembling and
putting
to work
the centrifuges
in Natanz
and elsewhere.
He is
considered
as an
official in
the Defense
Industries Organization
but
is
now stationed
in Isfahan
Nuclear research
Center.
*
Dr. Nasser
Shariflou: He
is the
director of
Bushehr Power
Plant
and
closely cooperates
with the
Defense Ministry.
He is
always
consulted
on research
works.
*
Dr. Muhammad
Bagher Ghofrani:
He is
a professor
in Sharif
University
in Tehran
and a
specialist in
enrichment processes.
He is
an
ex-official in
the Atomic
Energy Organization
and a
nuclear
scientist
who works
with the
IRGC and
military organs for achieving atomic
bomb.
*
Dr. Sohrabpour:
He is
in charge
of gamma
radiation in
the Atomic
Energy
Organization and
a well-known
nuclear physics
scientist.
*
Dr. Ali
Muhammadi: He
is a
professor in
physics in
Tehran
University
and a
specialist in
theoretical physics.
He cooperates
with
the
IRGC and
Imam Hussein
University.
*
Dr. Hamid
Reza Moshfeq:
He is
a professor
in theoretical
nuclear physics
and cooperates
with the
Military Industries
and Jihad
Sazandegi.
*
Dr. Manijeh
Rahbar: She
is a
professor in
nuclear reactors
and is highly
skilled.
*
Dr. Majid
Shahriyari: He
is Sohrabpour
deputy in
the Atomic Energy
Organization and
is specialized
in enrichment
processes and
systems.
He is
also a
member in
the management
board of
Nuclear
Society
which consists
of 5
members.
*
Dr. Muhammad
Lame'i: He
is a
specialist in
the Atomic
Energy Organization.
*
Dr. Rahighee:
He is
a specialist
in the
Atomic Energy Organization.
*
Dr. Rahim
Koohi: He
is a
specialist in
nuclear physics
in Mashhad University.
He is
also the
chairman of
Iran's Nuclear
Society.
*
Dr. Muhammad
Reza Eskandari:
He is
a specialist
in nuclear physics
in Shiraz
University. He
is also
a member
in the
management
board
of Nuclear
Society.
*
Dr. Hedayati
Pour: He
works in
Tehran University
and also cooperates
with the
military forces.
*
Dr. Kalantari:
He is
a specialist
in nuclear
physics in
Isfahan University.
He also
cooperates with
the Nuclear
Research Center
in
Isfahan.
The
Nuclear Society
*
The nuclear
scientists in
Iran founded
The Nuclear
Society
previously
called Iran's
Coordination Committee
for Nuclear
Specialists.
It adopted
the title
of The
Nuclear Society
in 2004.
The
Society
held a
seminar in
Arak In
early 2004
where all
the nuclear specialists
gathered.
*
Although the
Iranian Nuclear
Society seems
to be
a body
consisting
of specialists
and university
professors active
in nuclear
physics
but in
fact it
is a
body founded
by the
MD to
conduct its
projects
by employing
specialists and
university professors.
Dr. Fereydoon
Abbasi who
is involved
in Iran's
nuclear projects,
is the
society's deputy.
*
The Society's
administrative board
consists of
the following
people:
o
Dr. Rahim
Koohi, the
chairman,
o
Dr, Fereydoon
Abbasi, the
deputy,
o
Dr. Muhammad
Reza Eskandari,
member,
o
Dr. Majid
Shahriyari, member,
o
Dr. Ra'ees
Ali, member,
also chairman
of Karaj
Nuclear Research
Center
a sub-unit
of the
Atomic Energy
Organization.
Ladies
and gentlemen,
There
are greater
details on
the regime's
drive to
acquire nuclear
weapons
in the
texts that
would be
provided to
you. I
will be
very
glad
to answer
your questions.
The
Iranian Resistance
is trying
to obtain
further details
on the
regime's
secret nuclear
activities. But
prior to
addressing your
questions,
I would
like to
point out
that as
the experience
has shown,
mullahs
would never
honor their
commitments. The
EU-3 are
fully aware of
this fact.
They have
no illusions
on the
mullahs' ominous
goal of
acquiring
nuclear bomb.
What the
EU-3 worries
about is
that the
referral
of the
mullahs' nuclear
file to
the UN
Security Council
would
hinder
their trade
with religious
fascism ruling
Iran.
In
this agreement
the Iranian
resistance has
been designated
as
terrorist
when just
one week
ago, 500
of the
most distinguished
jurists
and dozens
of parliamentarians
and scores
of political
dignitaries
from all
over Europe
took part
in a
seminar in
Paris and in
nine compelling
legal openings
announced that
the terror
label on the
PMOI contradicted
international humanitarian
laws, EU
laws,
European
Human Rights
Conventions, Universal
Declaration of
Human
Rights,
and scores
of other
international conventions.
They also
said that
the designation
violated the
presumption of
innocence and
the right
of defense.
They reiterated
that under
no circumstances,
the
legitimate
resistance of
the Mojahedin
could be
labeled as
terrorist.
If
the religious
fascism ruling
Iran were
to obtain
nuclear weapons,
the Iranian
people and
the Iranian
Resistance would
not be
the
only victims.
This would
be a
great tragedy
for nations
in Europe
and
the Middle
East. The
EU-3 would
be blamed
for creating
this tragedy. In
reality, these
three states
have put
justice, human
rights, peace, and
security in
Europe on
sale for
the sake
of economic
interests.