Report: Iran Recovers From Stuxnet
The Washington Post reports that the Natanz centrifuge farm “recovered quickly from Stuxnet cyberattack.” U.N. cameras spotted the removal of about 10 percent of the units in a six-month period between late 2009 and spring 2010. The IAEA saw that “hundreds” of new units came in to replace them. Apparently, the Iranians are able to quickly produce working centrifuges.
The Institute for Science and International Security has studied the effects of Stuxnet and found that, unfortunately:
While it has delayed the Iranian centrifuge program at the Natanz plant in 2010 and contributed to slowing its expansion, it did not stop it or even delay the continued buildup of low-enriched uranium.
Let’s hope they are wrong. At the very least, the attack seems to be responsible for delaying the opening of the Bushehr nuclear reactor, which isn’t something to be overlooked.
