Iran
wants to enrich uranium on small scale, says ElBaradei
AFP
VIENNA
Petroleumworld.com 01 11 06
Iran has told the IAEA it wants to enrich uranium on a "small
scale" at its nuclear research plant in Natanz and reopen
two other sites, IAEA Director Mohamed ElBaradei said in a statement
here Tuesday.
ElBaradei, who called for "full and prompt transparency"
on Iran's part, confirmed to the Board of Governors of the International
Atomic Energy Agency, the removal Tuesday morning of seals at
the Natanz plant, an IAEA spokesperson said.
The report to the 35-member board, the IAEA's executive branch,
was based on information by UN inspectors in Iran and distributed
electronically. No meeting was called and none was planned as
of late Tuesday, the spokesperson said.
ElBaradei said Iran planned to use centrifuges to enrich uranium,
despite opposition from the West, which sees this step as a reason
to refer Tehran to the Security Council.
In the statement, ElBaradei "expressed his serious concern
about Irans decision to unravel the suspension of enrichment-related
activities... before the Agency has clarified the nature of Irans
nuclear programme."
The board had called on Iran not to resume nuclear research, which
was voluntarily suspended in 2003.
Seals will be removed by Wednesday not only from the Natanz Pilot
Fuel Enrichment Plant (PFEP) but from two other connected sites,
Pars Trash and Farayand Technique.
The seals covered P-1 centrifuge components and two cylinders
of UF6 gas (uranium hydrochloride), which is essential to the
process of enrichment by centrifuge.
Iran said research and development work would be carried out at
Natanz, where it plans "to install small-scale gas ultracentrifuge
cascades at PFEP" and "UF6 gas would be fed into these
cascades for research purposes," according to the IAEA statement.
"Activities may include the manufacturing of a limited number
of new components," it also said.
ElBaradei said after three years of investigations, questions
remained about the scope and nature of Irans programme, due to
the country's lack of transparency.
Tehran still argues the resumption of its nuclear programme is
for "peaceful purposes."
Referring to talks between European countries and Tehran, he called
on Iran to resume "the dialogue with all concerned parties."
AFP
01/10/06
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© 2006 AFP. All rights reserved
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