Iran wants Uranium from the Big Satan

According to Wikipedia, long the premier source of information on nuclear engineering:

The fissile uranium in nuclear weapons usually contains 85% or more of 235U known as weapon(s)-grade, though for a crude, inefficient weapon 20% is sufficient (called weapon(s)-usable); some argue that even less is sufficient, but then the critical mass required rapidly increases.

The very first uranium bomb, Little Boy in 1945, used only 64 kilograms of 80% enriched uranium.

Juan Cole says "You need to enrich uranium to 90% to make a bomb." Here we learn from Ahmadinejad that "A bomb needs enriched uranium to the grade of 99.7 percent." The level of enriched uranium needed for a bomb seems to be directly proportionate to one's propensity to promote Iran's point of view:

In a New York interview, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says Tehran is prepared to buy higher enriched uranium from the US.

“In the meeting in Geneva, we are ready to discuss some issues, including our willingness to purchase 20-percent enriched uranium for our domestic needs,” Ahmadinejad told the Washington Post.

“Iran, in return, will offer solutions to the changes that are required. If Mr. Bush's policies are to be continued with new language, we will not be able to achieve much… If these policies do not change, no real change will happen,” he added.

Ahmadinejad was responding to a question about how US President Barack Obama compares with his predecessor George Bush and whether he is someone Iran could do business with.

“We have a reactor in Tehran that produces nuclear medicine based on radioactive technologies. It requires 19.75 percent enrichment. We are prepared to purchase this material,” the president explained.

“We are prepared… to engage in nuclear cooperation as well as to discuss our need to purchase these materials. I think it is a very robust proposal which gives a good opportunity for a fresh start,” he added.

However, Ahmadinejad did point out that the offer does not mean that Iran is prepared to suspend uranium enrichment.

“Our level of enrichment is currently at 3.5 percent - within a range of 3 to 5 percent. The materials go to nuclear power plants. They are useless for a bomb. A bomb needs enriched uranium to the grade of 99.7 percent. We believe that the possession of nuclear bombs is immoral,” said Ahmadinejad.

“These nuclear materials we are seeking to purchase are for medicinal purposes. The 20 percent material is to produce the drugs… They are working on these drugs in Tehran right now. Our reactors are really busy trying to produce these drugs,” he added. [...]

Another article from PressTV is entitled "Ahmadinejad elaborates on 'Down with US' slogan" and includes some Holocaust thoughts:

"I have a number of questions with respect to the Holocaust: Why is the Holocaust the sole historical event that has been magnified, and why politicians have paid special attention to this event and have approached it with bias. Why the people of Palestine have to pay the price for it and why no one is allowed to launch independent and logical investigation into the Holocaust," he told the NPR.

"Currently there are a number of prominent historians, who are serving prison terms on charges of investigating the Holocaust. These are serious questions and I call on those who care for human rights to answer these questions."

Another PressTV article is entitled "Ahmadinejad: Why focus on Holocaust?" and offers even more of Ahmadinejad's Holocaust-related meditations. You don't think Obama is going to give them the Uranium, do you?

Crossposted on Soccer Dad