Cooking a New War? This Time, Iran

The Stranger at Blah3 brings us this:

I have little doubt that this story will be part of the case for US military action against Iran.

Iran is circumventing international export bans on sensitive dual-use materials by smuggling graphite and a graphite compound that can be used to make conventional and nuclear weapons, an Iranian dissident and a senior diplomat said Friday.Graphite has many peaceful uses, including steel manufacture, but also can be used as a casing for molten weapons-grade uranium to fit it to nuclear warheads or to shield the cones of conventional missiles from heat.

With most countries adhering to international agreements banning the sale of such "dual-use" materials to Tehran, Iran has been forced to buy it on the black market, Iranian exile Alireza Jafarzadeh told The Associated Press _ allegations confirmed by a senior diplomat familiar with Iran's covert nuclear activities.

Phone calls to Iranian diplomats seeking comment were not answered.

Let's all hope that this 'source' isn't Ahmed Chalibi - we all know how well things turned out the last time we took his word.