The Iranian city of Bam was virtually flattened by an earthquake on 26 December, killing tens of thousands of people. But a quake of similar strength in California four days earlier killed only two people. RFE/RL investigates the reasons behind this staggering disparity in the loss of life from two similar disasters.
Can a dialogue between Washington and Tehran emerge from the rubble of the earthquake that killed tens of thousands of people last week in southeastern Iran? Some U.S. and Iranian officials have hinted it might. But both Tehran and Washington are lowering expectations with tough conditions that are unlikely to be met.
The head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization says Tehran has almost completed construction of a plant to produce heavy water. Iran also says it plans to build a 40-megawatt heavy water nuclear reactor next to it. Arms experts are expressing concern over the project, since heavy water reactors can produce plutonium for use in nuclear weapons.
Bam, Iran; 1 January 2004 (RFE/RL) -- Officials say about 30 significant aftershocks have rocked Bam since an earthquake devastated the Iranian city on 26 December.
