A computer virus seems to target Iran’s centrifuge machines

In Iran nuclear program has experienced serious problems, including unexplained fluctuations in the performance of the thousands of centrifuges enriching uranium, leading to a temporary shutdown. On Tuesday international inspectors are expected to reveal it.

The UN unit-International Atomic Energy Agency that monitors nuclear programs provided no explanation of the problems. But speculation immediately centered on the Stuxnet worm, a computer virus that appears to have been designed specifically to target Iran’s centrifuge machines so that they spin out of control.

Former top IAEA official Olli Heinonen, said that Iran suffered a setback in its efforts to develop a second-generation centrifuge capable of enriching uranium more quickly. Iran’s centrifuges are based on a Pakistani copy of an old Dutch design, and Heinonen said Iran may have trouble obtaining the raw materials for an upgrade because of international sanctions.

Till now no country has been taken the responsibility for developing the virus, although suspicion has focused primarily on Israel and the United States. Iran denies the worm caused any problems.