Indian TV channels are carrying television coverage of Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad inspecting certain nuclear installations publicly revealed for the first time. But the careful coverage was limited to showing uranium centrifuges — which the Iranian TV commentator claimed were “4th generation”, and a pool to store spent fuel from a  boiling water type LEU reactor, run on indigeneously-produced fuel rods, able to output, it was repeatedly stressed, isotopes for medical use, especially for radiotherapy to cure “850,000” cancer patients in the country. All this is very well. But it is plutonium that is really relevant for weapons making and, in this respect, there was a “no show” of any related facilities, such as pu reprocesing, pu heavy water moderated reactors, etc. By stressing peaceful N-uses, Tehran is trying to rally international support against a  preemptive strike, and may have prevented such an attack  for the nonce, any way by Israel assisted by US sensors and terminal guidance paraphernalia. It has bought Iran some time. Even so, this time element may be crucial, because there’s no doubt Iran, which has been on the cusp for several years, has about reached the weapons threshold. I remember what a senior scientist at the heavy water plant in Arak told me when I was taken around that installation, along with a few other Indian visitors a couple of years back on a conducted tour.  In response to my question about Iran’s N-intentions, he replied: “We are following the Indian model”!