Saturday, December 1, 2012

The Iranian Nuclear Reactor In Bushehr Nearly Exploded In October, Would Have Killed Millions of Iranians, Shoddy Russian Workmanship Blamed

This story is hilarious - I'll give you the cliff notes and then let you read the whole thing below.  Back in October, Russian and Iranian scientists monitoring the nuclear reactor at Bushehr in Iran sounded the alarm that the reactor was reaching dangerous levels and there was the distinct possibility that the whole damn thing could blow - the Russians went on high alert and sent in teams to shut it down and find out what in the world happened.

Well, it turns out that some nuts and bolts holding the nuclear fuel rods in place had popped out and fallen to the base of the reactor.  That's right.  Millions of Iranians were nearly killed by the explosion and subsequent radiation because a few Russian contractors didn't quite get a few nuts and bolts quite torqued tight enough.

Now THAT is funny stuff.

The report comes from DEBKA.



Alarm in Tehran and Moscow over Bushehr nuclear reactor’s near-explosion in mid-October


Iran’s nuclear reactor at Bushehr was shut down in mid-October for fear of an explosion. Saturday Dec. 1, an authoritative Russian nuclear industry source revealed the cause of its malfunction: “Indicators showed that some small external parts were… in the [Bushehr] reactor vessel….” They were identified as “bolts beneath the fuel cells.”

debkafile’s Moscow sources report this information came from a source in the office of Sergei Kiriyenko, head of the Russian nuclear energy authority Rosatom, which supervised the construction of Iran’s first atomic reactor at Bushehr.

According to our intelligence sources, Russian scientists and engineers were rushed from Moscow to Bushehr when Russian leaders including Vladimir Putin were warned that the danger of an explosion at Bushehr was high. Neither Moscow nor Tehran reported what was happening. Now they are racing against the clock to get the reactor back on stream.

Russian experts estimated that an explosion at the Bushehr reactor had the potential for causing a million Iranian deaths and hundreds of thousands of radiation victims in the Persian Gulf emirates, which supply the world with one-fifth of its fuel. The hazard was so great in October that Putin ordered command teams of the Russian emergency ministry trained to deal with nuclear disasters to set out for Bushehr in southern Iran and prepare the infrastructure for larger teams.

The engineers immediately shut down the reactor and removed its 163 fuel rods. The bolts which had turned up in the reactor vessel were examined to find out from which part of the plant they had come loose – from the fuel rods – which would have embarrassed Russia as their supplier - or some other part of the reactor. The Russian source which revealed the mishap made a point of saying that the bolts were “small external parts,” indicating that they were not from the rods.
Our intelligence sources in Moscow report that two possible outside causes of the malfunction are under scrutiny by Moscow and Tehran:
1. The bolts were deliberately unscrewed and dropped into the reactor vessel as an act of sabotage;

2. The Stuxnet virus which attacked Iran’s nuclear program two years ago was back and had tampered with the reactor’s computers.

Five months ago, Iran suspended operations at the Fordo underground enrichment facility near Qom after the power lines supplying the plant were sabotaged on Aug. 17 and some of the centrifuges blew up. The Iranians resumed work at Fordo in the second half of September without discovering who was responsible for the incident. However, the suspicion of sabotage at Bushehr immediately crossed the minds of the Russian and Iranian investigators, although they have not ruled an accident or incompetence.
Bushehr supplies the Iran’s national electricity grid with one-fifth of its fuel and it was therefore important to get it running again without delay. Our sources report that Monday, Nov. 26, Iranian and Russian engineers reloaded the fuel rods – still without explaining why they had been removed.
Friday, Nov. 30, shortly before the disclosure from Moscow, Tehran for the first time in its twenty-year nuclear program showed concern about the impact of “nuclear accidents” at Iran’s nuclear sites on the wellbeing of the population and environment.
Gholamreza Massoumi, head of Iran’s accident and medical emergency center, announced: “We believe all of our emergency services should be trained and ready to face nuclear accidents.”
He referred to “accidents” at the Isfahan Uranium Conversion Facility where yellowcake is converted into highly toxic uranium hexafluoride and revealed: “People who have been in the region, for example – Isfahan’s UCF – have had some accidents for which they have been treated.”

He admitted that some employees at Isfahan had suffered from “health issues” and warned of “problems that civilians living close to nuclear sites could face.”
Massourni’s comments were removed from the semi-official Mehr news agency’s website a few hours after they were published.
Officials in Tehran, already jumpy over the near-catastrophe in Bushehr, must have realized that the comments about the urgent need to prepare emergency services for nuclear accidents, if tied in with the “health problems” at Isfahan and the near-disaster at Bushehr, were a recipe for a nightmare scenario of mass panic in the population and an outcry in the Gulf region against the hazards of Iran’s nuclear program – even before it produces a weapon.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Jesus, what's the matter with you? Millions of civilians dying and being contaminated by a nuclear spill/explosion is funny to you? You got some serious issues pal. Or do you miss war so much that you're willing to start a whole new one on a nuclear level to satisfy your bloodlust? Peace is confusing or something? Iran might be an enemy regime and the sooner they collapse the better, but wishing death on their civilian population is simply a deranged wish. Get help man.

Anonymous said...

CLIMB DOWN OFF YOUR SOAPBOX ANONYMOUS. his COMMENTS WERE NOT TO MAKE THAT THE MATTER WAS FUNNY AS IN HAHA LETS WATCH THEM GLOW BUT RATHER HAHA FUNNY IN AN IRONIC SORT OF WAY. that THE NUCLEAR POWER IRAN SEEKS SHOULD BE THEIR OWN UNDOING. aS FOR SAYING STUXNET DID IT. lAUGHABLE AS IS TYPICAL OF IRANIAN SUGGESTIONS. cOMPUTER vIRUSES DONT UNSCREW NUTS AND BOLTS. sHOODY WORKMANSHIP MAYBE, SABOTAGE MAYBE BUT WHY WOULD IT TAKE SO LONG TO FIND OUT bUSHER HAS BEEN ONLINE FOR A WHILE. t His IS DIZINFORMATION AT ITS BEST. tHE IRANIANS PROBABLY FUCKED SOMETHING UP AND NOW HAS TO BLAME PERSONS UNKNOWN. hEY MAYBE THE mOSSAD DID IT. aS FOR BEATING DOWN ON hOLGER... GROW UP. aT LEAST HE IS TRYING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, ALL YOU DO IS COMPLAIN


TWOGUNZ

Anonymous said...

Yeah and how is he going to stop irans nuclear program by complaining it online? Or is he just raising awareness"? Come of it. I've also seen his previous "funny" comments. He's wished in all seriousness a mushroom cloud on Teheran. It's ironic the we a nation with thousands of nuclear warheads who have used two on civilians in the past should tell others not to pursue their own strategic nuclear deterrence. And no Iran will not strike Israel despite what that loudmouth Ahmedinejad says. Israel has 200 nukes in their arsenal. Iran will barely have a dozen in 10 years. They probably won't have launch capability for some time. Even if they do, they won't be able to hit all of Israel's silos. Israel's responses would rightly be pulverizing and devastating. I doubt the Iranians would want that. If anything Pakistan is more dangerous with nukes than Iran. Iran only wants nukes because it doesn't want to end up like Iraq In 2003. Invaded and occupied. Besides why would Iran hit Israel? A nation so small whose strike upon would impact all the surrounding Arab/Muslim nations? Not to mention the 2 million or so Palestinians within Israel. If Iran hits Israel it effectively declares war on the whole Middle East because the fallout would effect countries like Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey and Syria. Perhaps even Iraq and the Gulf region. Yeah the Iranian leadership really has that kind of death wish. Grow up will you. And guys like you and Holgerawakens are doing nothing but stoking up the flames of conflict.

Findalis said...

@ Anonymous 3

The United States used both nuclear weapons during a state of war on a military target. The cities were just in the way.

If the Japanese could have used a nuclear weapon they would have used it on Pearl Harbor, San Diego, Los Angeles, etc...

Germany tried to bomb Great Britain into submission. If they had a nuclear weapon they would have destroyed London, etc...

If Iran develops nuclear weapons be assured that those bastards WILL use it on Tel Aviv, Haifa, Jerusalem, etc... The retribution upon the Arab world from the Israelis will make them scream for generations. Iran is NOT ruled by sane individuals.

To all Anonymouses; why do you hide?

Anonymous said...

Yeah sure they would have used it. Knowing the other side wasn't playing on a level field. You think the Japanese would have used the bomb knowing the U.S. had one? Or vice versa? Hitler WAS insane but a lot of Generals around him were not. Hence the July 20th attempt on his life at the Wolfschanze. Had it come down to nuclear war the General Staff would have tried even harder and probably succeeded in assassinating him Himmler and Goebbels. Perhaps the British with their sane leaders would have used it on Germany, had they the chance. Perhaps Dresden is an indication of their "sanity." In any case it's all about MAD. The Mullahs are not insane. They talk like that to pander to their base. Much like our own candidates. just more fiery rhetoric on their end.

Iran has no interest to attack Israel. Israel's response would destroy the entire nation. And Israel would retaliate against Iran not the Arab world, so your comment about screaming for generations is moot. And why would Iran want to destroy Jerusalem? the 3rd most holy city in Islam? An Iran bomb on Haifa would certainly affect Lebanon. Israel is tiny,any nuclear attack on them would affect all of their SUNNI ARAB neighbors, who are none to fond of SHIA PERSIANS. A Chernobyl like spread of the fallout in the Middle East? Yeah that's what Iran wants. The Arab world would unleash all their anger on them, not Israel. Not to mention Iran would be responsible for the direct and indirect deaths of millions of Palestinians. That's a hell of a way of winning over Arab support.

Why doesn't Pakistan, which arguably has the most schizophrenic leadership in the world(they double cross everyone, even themselves)nuke India? A country with sane leaders. MAD! That's the reason. India would finish them off entirely.

So stop regurgitating John The Fu Manchu Mustache Bolton's greedy message of war. Because with him its Haliburton Redux Version. He'll get filthy rich and my kid cousin will end up without limbs.

I choose to remain anonymous because I do not seek attention for my words.

Anonymous said...

I fought against Islamists in Grozny 1999-2000. I am not their propagandist. And I am no fool either. The fools are those that wish a nuclear war between nations that have a combined population of 1.4 billion people. Yeah I know there is no proportinality in war. I've seen some of the most savage unproportional fighting in modern day Europe. If Israel was completely defenseless and without allies I would understand the concern regarding Iranian rhetoric. But they are neither. they have more Nukes than India and Pakistan combined and have the backing of the most powerful Military today. Did it ever occur to you that the Iranians talk the way they do, to stay in power and appease the powerful Revolutionary Guard? Sometimes elite guards(Pretorians, Jannissaries etc.) turn into your captors. The Mullahs have to satisfy them.

Speaking of fools. Fools are those that blidnly follow their own warped message without so much as acknowlidging the facts that the other side has provided to the discussion. Like my points regarding Iran's nuclear attack would be detrimental to surrounding ARAB SUNNI states and incurr their wrath as well, not just Israel's.

Findalis said...

No one hopes for or wishes for war, especially those of us who has seen it and the consequences of it.

Sooner or later the inbred idiots who run Pakistan will attack India. They attacked India in 2008. The Mumbai attacks were planned and done by members of the Pakistan Secret Service. A fact kept from public knowledge. Another fact kept from the public is that India was only minutes away from an Nuclear attack on Pakistan.

No one who knows the area and people know that most of the Muslim nations are ruled by men who believe they live in the 7th Century and not the 21st Century. With the mentality of that time and modern weapons, it will be only a matter of time in which a nuclear exchange will happen.

BTW: Do you really believe that the Arab Sunni states would come to the aid of Israel? Not in an instant. They would celebrate the rid of the Jews and then beg the Americans to take out the Iranians.

Arab Muslims hate Jews and Israel more than they fear Iran.

Anonymous said...

Yes I saw the consequences of War in Chechnya. If you think American veterans had it tough in Fallujah, well Grozny and Vedeno make that battle seem like a walk in the park. I know it's easy to lose your cool when you see your comrades killed by men who do live in the 7th century mindsent. But simply resigning yourself to an eventual nuclear confrontation is folly.

I've been to Iran and to America's "ally" Saudi Arabia. And I can tell you. I'd be more scared if Saudi Arabia went for the bomb instead of Iran. By comparison Iran's society is far more progressive than Saudi Arabia's. Inspite of the Mullahs efforts to the contrary. Why? I personally feel the Persian civilization has been and is more advanced than the Arab one.

Yeah and isn't Pakistan a designated non-NATO ally for America? Yet their society is far more Theocratic than Iran's. Their duplicity or rather multiplicity is the apex of arrogance and ignorance. Yeah any person who can read knows that the 2008 Mumbai attacks were orchastrated by the top leadership of the ISI. And yeah perhaps in their deluded arrogance the ISI could trigger their own destruction by India.

No the Sunni states would not ever side with Israel but when millions of their citizens are either dead or dying from radiation fallout, their 3rd most holy city vaporized, I think they'll rejoice at the destruction of Israel and vent their futy at Iran for practically nuking them as well, given Israel's proximity to numerous Arab Sunni states bordering it. Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey are already fighting Iran in Syria. An Iranian nuke going off whithin sight distance of their countries will make them more concerned about their own fate rather than Israel's. Iran cannot afford total destruction. The Mullahs would be sluaghtered by their own people.

Israel could also have their own "unstable" leadership. Ultra-Orthodox Jews' treatment of women is not far off from their Mad Mullah counterparts. They too have a near 7th century mentality. Fortunately they refuse to partake in modern politics and could probably never win an election. Imagine them with their hands on the nuclear levers? And some of them do NOT believe the modern state of Israel should not exist either. I think one of their leaders did a photo op hugging Ahmedinejad.

Yeah they hate Jews and Israel more than they fear Iran now. When a nuke on Israel is affecting their lives in such a drastic way they'll forget Israel is even there and hurl everythig at Iran.

Holger Awakens said...

Anonymous,

You seem upset. Something I said?

LMFAO.

Here, let me get you the tiniest little violin I can find...play away, fool

:Holger Awakens

Anonymous said...

Yes Holger, your love of war is disturbing. Don't know if you are a war junkie or a chicken hawk. Having seen it myself in Grozny, I can tell you there's nothing poetic about it. No glory in killing. You seem to think there is. Why should you worry? It's not going to be you who's going to be based close to Iranian missiles. You mentioned that I was upset. What upsets me is the decidedly cavalier attitude you and many others like you take on war. 4,500 Men and women will never see their loved ones again because they fell in Iraq. Unnecessary deaths. How many more have to die for you to understand that war is no game? That tens of thousands of veterans come back home with seen and unseen scars? War only adds to the overall stress that family men and women feel. Maybe it's wise to defeat the enemy you sought out to defeat from the beginning. Al-Qaeda/Taliban in Af-Pak region, Yemen, Somalia and Trans Sahara. Opening up a new large front with Iran will have the same effect that Iraq did if not bigger. It will only distract you from fighting the only enemy that has struck inside the United States.