Iran's nuclear programme began taking shape in the 1950s under the former shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. In a far cry from today’s tension, it did so with US backing, under Washington’s Atoms for Peace drive, aimed at promoting peaceful use of nuclear technology and helping develop civilian nuclear power in allied nations.
The Tehran Nuclear Research Centre was created and after a small research reactor arrived from the US, Iran's nuclear programme was under way.
Iran has stepped up its nuclear programme in recent years, after a landmark deal with world powers – the UK, US, Germany, France, Russia and the EU – curbing its nuclear activities in exchange for sanction relief, began to unravel in 2018 when the US unilaterally withdrew.
A number of nuclear sites have been built that Tehran says are used for peaceful reasons only. Five round of talks with the US to renew a nuclear agreement this year have failed to produce any substantial results.
A day after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN's nuclear watchdog, passed a resolution declaring Iran in breach of its non-proliferation obligations for the first time in almost 20 years, Israel launched an attack on Iranian nuclear and military sites on Friday, killing some senior military commanders.
Here is a look at some of the major nuclear sites and their importance to Tehran’s programme.
Uranium enrichment plants
Natanz
The country’s main enrichment site lies about 220 kilometres south-east of Tehran, outside the holy city of Qom. Part of the complex is underground to defend nuclear infrastructure from potential air strikes. Here, groups of centrifuges work together to enrich uranium quickly.
Natanz features two main branches: the vast underground fuel enrichment plant (FEP) and the pilot enrichment plant (PFP).
An exiled Iranian opposition group revealed in 2002 that Iran was secretly building Natanz, igniting a diplomatic stand-off between the West and Iran over its nuclear intentions that continues today.
The FEP, built for enrichment on a commercial scale, has the capacity for 50,000 centrifuges. Around 16,000 are currently installed, 13,000 of which are in operation, refining uranium to up to 5 per cent purity.
Natanz was targeted by the malicious Stuxnet computer virus, believed to have been an Israeli-US creation, which destroyed some centrifuges. Two separate sabotage attacks, attributed to Israel, also have struck the site.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday said the Israeli attack had “struck at the heart of Iran’s nuclear enrichment programme”, in a televised address. “We targeted Iran’s main enrichment facility in Natanz."
IAEA director general Rafael Grossi confirmed the Natanz site was "among targets".
Fordow enrichment site
Secretly built in breach of UN resolutions under a mountain near Qom, Fordow is protected by anti-aircraft batteries which means it is better protected from potential bombardment than the Natanz FEP.
Fordow is 100km south-west of Tehran and also houses centrifuge cascades, but it smaller than Natanz. Construction began in 2007, the IAEA estimates, although Iran informed the watchdog about the plant as late as 2009 after the US and allied western intelligence agencies became aware of it. US president at the time, Barack Obama, said: "The size and configuration of this facility is inconsistent with a peaceful programme."
The 2015 deal with major powers did not allow Iran to enrich uranium at Fordow. There are now about 2,000 centrifuges there, most of them advanced IR-6 machines, of which up to 350 are enriching by to up to 60 per cent.
In 2023, uranium particles enriched up to 83.7 per cent were discovered at the Fordo plant, which Iran claimed were the product of "unintended fluctuations" during the enrichment process.
Nuclear power plant
Bushehr
Iran's only operating nuclear power plant, on the Gulf coast, is 750km south of Tehran. Construction began under Iran’s Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi in the mid-1970s. After the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the complex was repeatedly targeted in the Iran-Iraq war.
A German company began the building project, which was halted by the revolution and later completed by Russians. Bushehr began operating at a lower capacity in 2011 before being plugged into the national power grid in 2012. It is fuelled by uranium produced in Russia, not Iran, and is monitored by the IAEA. Iran is in the process of building two similar reactors on the site.
Uranium conversion and research reactors
Arak heavy water reactor
Work on the Arak heavy-water research reactor on the outskirts of the village of Khondab began in the 2000s but stopped under the terms of the 2015 deal.
Iran has since informed the IAEA of plans to commission the reactor by 2026.
The research reactor was officially intended to produce plutonium for medical research and the site, 250km south-west of Tehran, features a production plant for heavy water, which helps cool nuclear reactors but produces plutonium as a by-product that can be used in nuclear weapons. That could provide Iran another path to the bomb beyond enriched uranium.
Iran had agreed under its 2015 nuclear deal to redesign the Arak plant to allay proliferation concerns.
Isfahan Nuclear Technology Centre
The complex in Isfahan, 350km south-east of Tehran, employs thousands of nuclear scientists. It is home to three Chinese research reactors and laboratories associated with Iran’s atomic programme. The plant was industrially tested in 2004 after completion.
The Isfahan centre also houses a nuclear fuel fabrication site, which opened in 2009 and produces low-enriched fuel for power plants.
The Tehran Research Reactor is stationed at the headquarters of the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran, the civilian body overseeing the country’s atomic programme. The US provided Iran with the reactor in 1967 as part of America’s “Atoms for Peace” programme during the Cold War. It initially required highly enriched uranium but was later retrofitted to use low-enriched uranium after proliferation concerns.
In July 2022, Iran announced plans to construct a new research reactor at the site.
Western Region Asia Cup Qualifier
Results
UAE beat Saudi Arabia by 12 runs
Kuwait beat Iran by eight wickets
Oman beat Maldives by 10 wickets
Bahrain beat Qatar by six wickets
Semi-finals
UAE v Qatar
Bahrain v Kuwait
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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What drives subscription retailing?
Once the domain of newspaper home deliveries, subscription model retailing has combined with e-commerce to permeate myriad products and services.
The concept has grown tremendously around the world and is forecast to thrive further, according to UnivDatos Market Insights’ report on recent and predicted trends in the sector.
The global subscription e-commerce market was valued at $13.2 billion (Dh48.5bn) in 2018. It is forecast to touch $478.2bn in 2025, and include the entertainment, fitness, food, cosmetics, baby care and fashion sectors.
The report says subscription-based services currently constitute “a small trend within e-commerce”. The US hosts almost 70 per cent of recurring plan firms, including leaders Dollar Shave Club, Hello Fresh and Netflix. Walmart and Sephora are among longer established retailers entering the space.
UnivDatos cites younger and affluent urbanites as prime subscription targets, with women currently the largest share of end-users.
That’s expected to remain unchanged until 2025, when women will represent a $246.6bn market share, owing to increasing numbers of start-ups targeting women.
Personal care and beauty occupy the largest chunk of the worldwide subscription e-commerce market, with changing lifestyles, work schedules, customisation and convenience among the chief future drivers.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
The biog
Name: Marie Byrne
Nationality: Irish
Favourite film: The Shawshank Redemption
Book: Seagull by Jonathan Livingston
Life lesson: A person is not old until regret takes the place of their dreams
MATCH RESULT
Liverpool 4 Brighton and Hove Albion 0
Liverpool: Salah (26'), Lovren (40'), Solanke (53'), Robertson (85')
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EProcessor%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Apple%20M3%2C%208-core%20CPU%2C%20up%20to%2010-core%20CPU%2C%2016-core%20Neural%20Engine%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDisplay%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2013.6-inch%20Liquid%20Retina%2C%202560%20x%201664%2C%20224ppi%2C%20500%20nits%2C%20True%20Tone%2C%20wide%20colour%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMemory%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%208%2F16%2F24GB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStorage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20256%2F512GB%20%2F%201%2F2TB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EI%2FO%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Thunderbolt%203%2FUSB-4%20(2)%2C%203.5mm%20audio%2C%20Touch%20ID%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EConnectivity%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Wi-Fi%206E%2C%20Bluetooth%205.3%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2052.6Wh%20lithium-polymer%2C%20up%20to%2018%20hours%2C%20MagSafe%20charging%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECamera%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201080p%20FaceTime%20HD%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EVideo%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Support%20for%20Apple%20ProRes%2C%20HDR%20with%20Dolby%20Vision%2C%20HDR10%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAudio%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204-speaker%20system%2C%20wide%20stereo%2C%20support%20for%20Dolby%20Atmos%2C%20Spatial%20Audio%20and%20dynamic%20head%20tracking%20(with%20AirPods)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EColours%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Midnight%2C%20silver%2C%20space%20grey%2C%20starlight%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EIn%20the%20box%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20MacBook%20Air%2C%2030W%2F35W%20dual-port%2F70w%20power%20adapter%2C%20USB-C-to-MagSafe%20cable%2C%202%20Apple%20stickers%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh4%2C599%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Coming soon
Torno Subito by Massimo Bottura
When the W Dubai – The Palm hotel opens at the end of this year, one of the highlights will be Massimo Bottura’s new restaurant, Torno Subito, which promises “to take guests on a journey back to 1960s Italy”. It is the three Michelinstarred chef’s first venture in Dubai and should be every bit as ambitious as you would expect from the man whose restaurant in Italy, Osteria Francescana, was crowned number one in this year’s list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants.
Akira Back Dubai
Another exciting opening at the W Dubai – The Palm hotel is South Korean chef Akira Back’s new restaurant, which will continue to showcase some of the finest Asian food in the world. Back, whose Seoul restaurant, Dosa, won a Michelin star last year, describes his menu as, “an innovative Japanese cuisine prepared with a Korean accent”.
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
The highly experimental chef, whose dishes are as much about spectacle as taste, opens his first restaurant in Dubai next year. Housed at The Royal Atlantis Resort & Residences, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal will feature contemporary twists on recipes that date back to the 1300s, including goats’ milk cheesecake. Always remember with a Blumenthal dish: nothing is quite as it seems.
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
Hotel Data Cloud profile
Date started: June 2016
Founders: Gregor Amon and Kevin Czok
Based: Dubai
Sector: Travel Tech
Size: 10 employees
Funding: $350,000 (Dh1.3 million)
Investors: five angel investors (undisclosed except for Amar Shubar)
Company profile
Name: Fruitful Day
Founders: Marie-Christine Luijckx, Lyla Dalal AlRawi, Lindsey Fournie
Based: Dubai, UAE
Founded: 2015
Number of employees: 30
Sector: F&B
Funding so far: Dh3 million
Future funding plans: None at present
Future markets: Saudi Arabia, potentially Kuwait and other GCC countries
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The bio
Who inspires you?
I am in awe of the remarkable women in the Arab region, both big and small, pushing boundaries and becoming role models for generations. Emily Nasrallah was a writer, journalist, teacher and women’s rights activist
How do you relax?
Yoga relaxes me and helps me relieve tension, especially now when we’re practically chained to laptops and desks. I enjoy learning more about music and the history of famous music bands and genres.
What is favourite book?
The Perks of Being a Wallflower - I think I've read it more than 7 times
What is your favourite Arabic film?
Hala2 Lawen (Translation: Where Do We Go Now?) by Nadine Labaki
What is favourite English film?
Mamma Mia
Best piece of advice to someone looking for a career at Google?
If you’re interested in a career at Google, deep dive into the different career paths and pinpoint the space you want to join. When you know your space, you’re likely to identify the skills you need to develop.
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
ULTRA PROCESSED FOODS
- Carbonated drinks, sweet or savoury packaged snacks, confectionery, mass-produced packaged breads and buns
- margarines and spreads; cookies, biscuits, pastries, cakes, and cake mixes, breakfast cereals, cereal and energy bars;
- energy drinks, milk drinks, fruit yoghurts and fruit drinks, cocoa drinks, meat and chicken extracts and instant sauces
- infant formulas and follow-on milks, health and slimming products such as powdered or fortified meal and dish substitutes,
- many ready-to-heat products including pre-prepared pies and pasta and pizza dishes, poultry and fish nuggets and sticks, sausages, burgers, hot dogs, and other reconstituted meat products, powdered and packaged instant soups, noodles and desserts.
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
