Uranium Destined for Iran (2006) (TimesOnline)
A United Nations report, dated July 18, said there was no doubt that a huge shipment of smuggled uranium 238, uncovered by customs officials in Tanzania, was transported from the Lubumbashi mines in the Congo.
Tanzanian customs officials told The Sunday Times it was destined for the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas, and was stopped on October 22 last year during a routine check.
The disclosure will heighten western fears about the extent of Irans presumed nuclear weapons programme and the strategic implications of Irans continuing support for Hezbollah during the war with Israel.
It has also emerged that terror cells backed by Iran may be prepared to mount attacks against nuclear power plants in Britain. Intelligence circulating in Whitehall suggests that sleeper cells linked to Tehran have been conducting reconnaissance at some nuclear sites in preparation for a possible attack.
The parliamentary intelligence and security committee has reported that Iran represented one of the three biggest security threats to Britain. The UN security council has given Iran until the end of this month to halt its uranium enrichment activities. The UN has threatened sanctions if Tehran fails to do so.
A senior Tanzanian customs official said the illicit uranium shipment was found hidden in a consignment of coltan, a rare mineral used to make chips in mobile telephones. The shipment was destined for smelting in the former Soviet republic of Kazakhstan, delivered via Bandar Abbas, Irans biggest port.
There were several containers due to be shipped and they were all routinely scanned with a Geiger counter, the official said.
This one was very radioactive. When we opened the container it was full of drums of coltan. Each drum contains about 50kg of ore. When the first and second rows were removed,the ones after that were found to be drums of uranium.
In a nuclear reactor, uranium 238 can be used to breed plutonium used in nuclear weapons.
The customs officer, who spoke to The Sunday Times on condition he was not named, added: The container was put in a secure part of the port and it was later taken away, by the Americans, I think, or at least with their help. We have all been told not to talk to anyone about this.
The report by the UN investigation team was submitted to the chairman of the UN sanctions committee, Oswaldo de Rivero, at the end of July and will be considered soon by the security council.
It states that Tanzania provided limited data on three other shipments of radioactive materials seized in Dar es Salaam over the past 10 years.
The experts said: In reference to the last shipment from October 2005, the Tanzanian government left no doubt that the uranium was transported from Lubumbashi by road through Zambia to the united republic of Tanzania.
Lubumbashi is the capital of mineral-rich Katanga province, home of the Shinkolobwe uranium mine that produced material for the two atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945.
The mine has officially been closed since 1961, before the countrys independence from Belgium, but the UN investigators have told the security council that they found evidence of illegal mining still going on at the site.
In 1999 there were reports that the Congolese authorities had tried to re-open the mine with the help of North Korea. In recent years miners are said to have broken open the lids and extracted ore from the shafts, while police and local authorities turned a blind eye.
In June a parliamentary committee warned that Britain could be attacked by Iranian terrorists if tensions increased.
A source with access to current MI5 assessments said: There is great concern about Iranian sleeper cells inside this country. The intelligence services are taking this threat very seriously.
IRNA
Chief Justice in Iran
Iran's Judiciary chief in a meeting with visiting Tanzanian counterpart expressed Iran's readiness to exchange experiences and judiciary, legal achievements.
In the meeting, Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi said, "Iran, by combining human achievements with religious ideals, has created a successful judiciary system which could be a suitable model for Islamic countries."
He added, "One of the successes for Iran's judiciary system is expansion of using modern technology in management of the judicial system."
The Ayatollah expressed hope that by expanding cooperation and judicial ties between Iran and Tanzania, the possibilities for exchanging experiences and achievements can be provided.
Augustin Ramadhani, for his part, expressed pleasure with being able to visit Iran and by referring to the historical and old relations between the two countries, called for strengthening ties and using Iran's experiences in the judicial grounds.
Justice Min-Tanzanian Judiciary Chief-Meet (IRNA)
Iran's Justice Minister Gholam-Hossein Elham here Monday in a meeting with visiting Tanzanian judiciary chief proposed broader judiciary cooperation with that country.
According to the Public Relations of the IRI Justice Ministry, in the meeting, Elham announced Iran's readiness to share legal and judiciary, training, and experience in computerizing the judiciary system with the Tanzanian judiciary system.
Elham added, "There is currently no obstacle on comprehensive cooperation and we are ready for signing cooperation agreements in entire legal and judiciary fields in order to support the nationals of both countries economically."
Referring to the records of the two countries' cooperation ever since the victory of the Islamic Revolution of Iran, he said, "Bilateral cooperation between Iran and Tanzania has been increasing continually during the post revolution era, which is due to the policies pursued by both countries, aimed at advancement of their countries and well being of both nations."
The justice minister meanwhile referred to the potentials of the African countries, particularly the African nations' great wealth of anti-colonialist struggles, expressing hope that since the downfalling trend of the colonialist powers' hegemony seems to be in sight, the developing countries, such as Iran and Tanzania would manage to turn the potentials into opportunities.
Elham added, "The mighty and independent Asian and African countries can that way get access to advanced technologies, and relying on powerful judiciary systems whose objectives would merely be pursuing justice, present new worthy models to the world." The Tanzanian Judiciary Chief Agustino Ramadhani, too, during the meeting elaborated on his country's judiciary system, asking for broader legal and judiciary cooperation between the two countries and transfer of experience between the two countries."
Iran sign MoU with Tanzania October 20, 2008
Iran-Algeria-MoU
Iran and Tanzania on Sunday signed a Memorandum of Understanding for economic cooperation.
The MoU was at the end of their fourth joint economic commission in a ceremony attended by Iran's Minister of Agricultural Jihad Mohammad Reza Eskandari and Tanzanian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Bernard Membe.
Based on the MoU, the two sides agreed to promote agricultural cooperation in the field of research, training, cattle farming, technical services, irrigation and production of chemical fertilizers.
They would also cooperate in the fields of transportation, energy, industry, protection of cultural heritage, promotion of tourism, banking and financial activities as well as making investments.
Tehran and Dar es Salaam also decided to hold the next (fifth) meeting of Iran-Tanzania joint economic commission in 2010 in the Tanzanian capital.
Membe arrived in Tehran on a three-day visit to attend the fourth meeting of Iran-Tanzania joint economic commission.
The Tanzanian minister also held separate meetings with his Iranian counterpart Manouchehr Mottaki, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and head of Iran Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei.
Iran to build cheap Houses in Tanzania (IRNA October 20, 2008)
Iranian officials, including the president, welcome a Tanzanian delegation, promising to construct cheap houses in the African country.
"The Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to transfer its experience to Tanzania in different fields," President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said in a meeting with visiting Tanzanian Foreign Minister Bernard Kamillius Membe in Tehran on Sunday.
Membe said that the great progress Iran has made in the fields of science and technology proves the imposition of sanctions against the Islamic Republic to be a failed policy.
Tanzania remained committed to its efforts on increase cooperation with Iran, the official said, adding that his country will stand by Tehran on the international stage.
After their meeting, officials of the two countries held a joint economic commission and signed agreements in various fields, including construction, agriculture and energy.
Iran pledged to build low-price houses in Tanzania. The value of annual trade exchange between the two countries reportedly stands at 15 million dollars.
Tanzania asks Iran's help in tourism
Fri, 07 Mar 2008 06:02:44 GMT
Tanzania's Tourism Minister Shamsa Mwangunga
The Tanzanian minister of tourism asks Iran to assist her country in renovating historical sites and developing tourism attractions.
In her visit to the Islamic Republic, Tanzania's Minister of Tourism and Natural Resources, Shamsa Mwangunga, pointed to the strong cultural ties between her country and Iran, saying that historical affinity inspires a deep fraternity with Iranian people.
As an example, Mwangunga mentioned the Iranian Balouch tribe which lives in Tanzania and has good relations with Tanzanian people.
The Kilimanjaro Mountain Range, preserved natural territories, and national parks are among Tanzania's tourism attractions.
My Take:
Wakati Membe akiwa Iran hivi karibuni, ujumbe kutoka Zanzibar nao ulikuwa Iran na siku chache baadaye Jaji Mkuu naye anaenda Iran. Mapema mwaka huu watendaji wengine wa serikali wamekuwa wakielekea Iran na kujisogeza karibu Tanzania kwa mahusiano mapya na Iran.
Wale ambao wanaona Tanzania inavyokaribiana na serikali ya Rais Bush kuwa ni kujjikomba na inawezekana Bush ana ajenda ya siri hawajashtushwa na ukaribu uliopo sasa na Iran na kama kuna jambo la kujiuliza kwanini.
Yawezekana kuna kitu ambacho Watanzania wanahitaji kukijua of strategic importance kwa Tanzania kuwa karibu na Iran? Kwanini isiwe Libya, Lebanon, Syria, Morocco n.k iwe ni Iran kulia na kushoto? Irani wana kitu gani cha kutupatia ambacho hakiwezekani kutoka nchi nyingine kiasi cha kumpeleka Makamu wa Rais, Waziri wa Mambo ya Nje, na sasa Jaji Mkuu?
