Israeli newspaper: How Iran's nukes were sabotaged

Saleh Naami , Saturday 22 Jan 2011

An Israeli newspaper unravels the plot that lead to the sabotage of Iran's nuclear programme

Iran nuclear plant
Iranian workers stand in front of the Bushehr nuclear power plant, about 1,200 km (746 miles) south of Tehran 26 October 2010. (Reuters/Mehr News Agency/Majid Asgaripour)

Israel Today has revealed the means utilised to impede the Iranian nuclear programme. The Israeli newspaper mentioned that a particular virus, "Staksnt," was used to disrupt computers in Iran's uranium-enrichment facility in Natanz.

The newspaper said that Staksnt accelerated the centrifuges' activity to unnecessary levels and then suddenly slowed them down causing severe damage.

A thousand centrifuges broke down; the newspaper indicated that the virus could completely destroy them.

Statements made by former Mossad chief Meir Dagan in which he affirmed that Iran will not be able to build nuclear weapons before 2015 primarily due to the virus led several media reports to suggest Mossad was responsible.

The electronic warfare launched against the Iranian project slowed it down and inflicted huge costs on the country, Israel Today said.

The newspaper asserted the importance of the operation which was conducted in 2009 and 2010 lies in the fact that it managed to inflict harm on the Iranian project and Iran's inability to hold anyone responsible for it, therefore revenge would not be justifiable. 

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