Postscript: Iran

 

Ollie finished our last blog with this: "In the small town of Khondab, we are just left to guess what secrets may be hidden nearby!"

To shed some light on this question, my brother Andy did some googling and discovered the following on a US website for the ISIS (Institute for Science and International Security):

 

Arak Heavy Water Production Plant at Khondab

Iran’s heavy water production plant was commissioned in August 2006.  The existence of this facility was first revealed publicly by the Iranian opposition group, National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), in August 2002.  ISIS then located the site in commercial satellite imagery after a wide-area search.  By United Nations Security Council resolution 1737 (2006), Iran was to suspend all work on heavy water related projects.  However, Iran has not halted this work and maintains that it has no legal obligation to do so under its safeguards agreement. Iranian officials speaking at a March 5-6, 2005 conference in Tehran said that the plant was in its first stage of operation.  As of 2010, imagery of the heavy water production plant analyzed by the IAEA indicates that it is operating.

 

 This does indeed shed some light, and it does all sound rather important. . It is strange to have been so close, but to have had no idea! Happy enough to be out of such political intrigue for now!