Iran's Chernobyl on the way

The Stuxnet computer worm that attacked computer systems in Iranian nuclear facilities last November has destroyed about 20% of Iran's nuclear centrifuges, according to The New York Times.

The Times speculates that the worm was devised by a joint US-Israeli intelligence program and, if reports are true, was one of the most advanced, ingenious spy devices ever used.

The worm itself now appears to have included two major components. One was designed to send Iran’s nuclear centrifuges spinning wildly out of control. Another seems right out of the movies: The computer program also secretly recorded what normal operations at the nuclear plant looked like, then played those readings back to plant operators, like a pre-recorded security tape in a bank heist, so that it would appear that everything was operating normally while the centrifuges were actually tearing themselves apart.

In addition to delaying Iran's nuclear program, the worm may have created the seeds of a disaster that could devestate Iran if its mullah-controlled government continues to ferverently persue nuclear technology as a point of hubris.

Britain's The Telegraph reports that Russian scientists working in Iran's nuclear program have alerted the Kremlin that, in the wake of the damage, an "Iranian Chernobyl" will happen if they are forced to comply with Iran's deadline for completing the project.

The Telegraph's story stated:

Russian scientists working at the plant have become so concerned by Iran's apparent disregard for nuclear safety issues that they have lobbied the Kremlin directly to postpone activation until at least the end of the year, so that a proper assessment can be made of the damage caused to its computer operations by Stuxnet.

The Iranian government is bitterly opposed to any further delay, which it would regard as another blow to national pride on a project that is more than a decade behind schedule. While Western intelligence officials believe Iran's nuclear programme is aimed at producing nuclear weapons, Iran insists the project's goals are peaceful.

The Russian scientists' report to the Kremlin, a copy of which has been seen by The Daily Telegraph, concludes that, despite "performing simple, basic tests" on the Bushehr reactor, the Russian team "cannot guarantee safe activation of the reactor".

It also accuses the Iranian management team, which is under intense political pressure to stick to the deadline, of "not exhibiting the professional and moral responsibility" that is normally required. They accuse the Iranians of having "disregard for human life" and warn that Russia could find itself blamed for "another Chernobyl" if it allows Bushehr to go ahead.

"The worm itself now appears to have included two major components. One was designed to send Iran’s nuclear centrifuges spinning wildly out of control. Another seems right out of the movies: The computer program also secretly recorded what normal operations at the nuclear plant looked like, then played those readings back to plant operators, like a pre-recorded security tape in a bank heist, so that it would appear that everything was operating normally while the centrifuges were actually tearing themselves apart."