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Physics Research Center
Physics Research Center
According to the November 2004 IAEA report, the Physics Research Center was established at Lavisan-Shian in 1989 for “preparedness to combat and neutralization of casualties due to nuclear attacks and accidents (nuclear defence) and also support and provide scientific advice and services to the Ministry of Defence.” Iran insisted that “no nuclear material and nuclear activities related to fuel cycle were carried out at Lavisan-Shian.” The same report notes that activities at the PHRC were halted in 1998 and the focus of work shifted to biological R&D and radioprotection activities.
Throughout 2006 the IAEA continued to investigate reports that the PHRC had sought to acquire dual-use equipment relevant to “enrichment and conversion activities.” In January 2006, Iran provided the IAEA with documentation reflecting unsuccessful procurement attempts for “electric drive equipment, power supply equipment and laser equipment, including a dye laser” as well as “balancing machines, mass spectrometers, magnets handling equipment.” Iran stated that the equipment was intended for university instruction at a laboratory at which the head of PHRC was also a professor. Iran refused IAEA requests to speak with the professor).
The February 2008 IAEA report contains the result of IAEA discussions with Iranian officials (though not, apparently, the former head of PHRC who according to UNSCR 1747 is Mohsen Fakhrizadeh-Mahabadi, also a senior scientist at MODAFL) during which Iran explains further its rationale for procuring the equipment and its role in university instruction. The same report discusses the PHRC’s alleged connection to the so-called alleged studies—research into nuclear weapons design. “During the meetings of 27–28 January and 3–5 February 2008, the Agency asked Iran to clarify a number of procurement actions by the ERI, PHRC and IAP which could relate to the above-mentioned alleged studies. These included training courses on neutron calculations, the effect of shock waves on metal, enrichment/isotope separation and ballistic missiles.”
See also Lavisan-Shian page.