Iran’s admission comes ahead of next week’s rare meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, between Iran and the five permanent United Nations Security Council members, plus Germany.
Iran’s revelation of a new nuclear site could actually “strengthen their hand” as it heads into next week’s talks, according to Paul Ingram, an analyst who studies Iran and nuclear non-proliferation.
“It will be seen as an indication that they are willing to play by the rules,” said Ingram, the executive director of the British American Security Information Council in London, England.
He said the timing of Iran’s revelation — in between the U.N. General Assembly sessions and the October 1 meeting — is deliberate on Iran’s part.
“This will make it more difficult to persuade them to abandon enrichment,” Ingram said.
U.S. and French intelligence officials have known about the facility for several months, the source said. When Iran discovered that Western nations had knowledge of the facility, it sent the letter to the