 Iran has been experiencing significant technical problems with equipment in its uranium enrichment drive and has temporarily shut down some of its centrifuge machines, Western diplomats said on Tuesday.
| If we have a CIA worth anything, the blame will be on Mossad. If Mossad is worth anything, the blame will be on the CIA. |
One senior diplomat said Iran acted after suffering power fluctuations but that it was unclear to what extent the Stuxnet computer virus was to blame.
Security experts have said the release of Stuxnet could have been a state-backed attack -- possibly by Ruritania Israel or another foe of Iran -- to sabotage the Islamic Republic's nuclear programme.
Another diplomat confirmed Iran had switched off and then restarted centrifuges used to refine uranium but that this had happened also in the past. The diplomats did not say how many machines had been turned off or when and for how long.
| Perhaps they need more extension cords? |
"I don't think you can necessarily blame Stuxnet entirely. There could be some other issues but clearly they have been having some real problems," the senior diplomat told Reuters.
| Son of Stuxnet! Nice going, Halliburton! |
The head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation was quoted as saying its adversaries had not achieved their aims with Stuxnet, which he suggested Tehran had discovered some 18 months ago.
| Which means the Iranians were late to the party, heh ... |
Iran has previously confirmed the virus had infected staff computers at its long-delayed Bushehr nuclear power plant, but had not affected major systems there.
| Nothing other than the janitor's closet, according to them ... |
"Fortunately the nuclear Stunext virus has faced a dead end ... and the desires and dreams of the enemies have not become true," ISNA news agency quoted Ali Akbar Salehi as saying.
The U.N. nuclear watchdog was expected later on Tuesday to distribute its inspection report on Iran to member states. |