Fluid Handling Export Concerns: How Did a U.S.-Made Pressure Transducer End Up In an Iranian Nuclear Plant?

The article discusses potential export controls requirements for manufacturers of devices that convert pressure measurements into electrical signals using sensing elements made of nickel, aluminum, or their alloys. Products and technologies that can be used in nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons; missile development programs; and certain other pressure measurement devices are subject to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR), and they often require licenses before they can be exported from the United States or re-exported from outside the United States. The authors outline the scope of the EAR, as well as discuss the highlights of a recent episode of CBS’s 60 Minutes that featured a photo of a U.S.-made pressure transducer in an Iranian nuclear enrichment facility. This episode has raised concerns about the export of U.S. technologies for the purposes of facilitating Iran’s nuclear program.

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