Iran begins nuclear fuel production at industrial level
Iran-UN, Politics, 4/9/2007

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad said today that based on the planned timetable, the Iranian government is determined to generate at least 20,000 MWs of nuclear power and also use its nuclear capacity in the domain of medicine, agriculture and industry.

The president welcomed all governments willing to negotiate and cooperate with Iran in the nuclear field. He called on those governments, which have so long refused to recognize the current realities and the Iranian nation's rights, "to stop breaking laws, bullying as well as opposition Iran."

The president recommended the West to officially recognize the legal rights of world nations and stop monopolizing the nuclear technology.

The news of Iran's entry into the stage of nuclear fuel production on an industrial scale can be a good prelude for resumption of dialogue. "That's a good prelude for resumption of dialogue so that we can find a good solution to Iran's nuclear problem," said Expediency Council member Ali Aqamohammadi in an interview with reporters at the end of celebrations, marking Iran's National Day of Nuclear Technology.

Aqamohammadi said that it is a source of pride that Iran is among the world's industrial nuclear fuel producers. "I announce with pride that dear Iran has from today been placed among producers of nuclear fuel on an industrial scale," said Aqamohammadi, adding that Iran is not for concealment of its peaceful nuclear activities.

He said Iran's strategy is based on cooperation with the international community to find a suitable solution and offer proper guarantees. "We offer the world the message of peace and friendship so as the allay the West's concern and anxiety," he said.

Iran's Secretary of Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Larijani said today that he will hold talks with EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana adding that he expects the negotiations to follow to correct course rather than the artificial way.

He said that Solana contacted him saying that the EU advocates talks and coming to terms with Iran.

"The EU has announced that European states recognize Iranian rights. Iran is also ready to hold logical and sustainable talks with the EU. Currently, the grounds are well-prepared for an understanding. Of course, it depends on the approaches," Larijani said.

He said that in earlier rounds of talks, Solana made positive efforts to resolve the dispute on Iranian nuclear program, but, there are many people who are creating nuisance. So, you should not blame Solana, he said.

US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said today that Iran's announcement of start of industrial-scale uranium enrichment was "another missed opportunity" on the part of the Iranian leadership, but added that a negotiated solution to problems posed by Iran’s nuclear ambitions still is being offered by the international community.

"They have had numerous opportunities over the past month to take up the offer that's been extended to them of negotiations so that they can realize their stated goal of a peaceful nuclear energy program. But clearly, they have decided against that course at this point," McCormack said.

With a suspension of enrichment-related activities, Iran could negotiate with the United States and the international community. Iranians could "talk about anything that they want to put on the table and suspend the course on which we find ourselves right now," McCormack said. However, he added that by continuing on the present course in defiance of UN Security Council resolutions, the pressure on Iran "is only going to continue to increase." He advised that the Iranians should negotiate because the financial formal and informal sanctions on Iran are costing the country business, trade and investment deals.



Asked whether Iran is ready to stop its nuclear program, Larijani said that Iran will go ahead with its civilian program. "We don't have nuclear weapons in our defense doctrine. They are going to undermine the NPT by continued pressure on Iran." He said, "If Western powers continue with impatience and pressure, we may be forced to follow the parliament's decision."

Responding to a question about camera installation at Natanz nuclear site, he said that Iran fulfills its obligations as per the safeguards of the nuclear agency and not more than that.

On reaction of the Western nuclear powers to the good news about Iranian nuclear program, he said that all stages of Iranian nuclear program are transparent and has been reported to IAEA beforehand.
Asked whether gas has been injected into the centrifuges, he said, "Yes the injection has taken place."

On impacts of the UN sanctions on Iranian nuclear program, he said that the sanctions had no effects on it.

Iranian Majlis deputies from this northern province said today that access to peaceful nuclear technology was a national will. The MP from Kordkouy, Torkaman and Bandar Gaz cities Mohammad-Qoli Haji-Iri said, "Access to peaceful nuclear technology is among rights of the Iranian nation. No country can prevent materialization of the decision made by the Iranian people and officials in this regard. "As Iran has repeatedly announced, it does not seek production of nuclear weapons."

He said that certain countries producing nuclear weapons have killed millions of innocent people, adding that they, themselves, ignore human rights while raising the same accusations against other states.

on the number of centrifuges, to which the UF6 gas (used to enrich Uranium) has been injected, one should wait until the next 20 days, said an Iranian nuclear official today.

"I do not see it necessary now to announce the number of centrifuges to which gas has been injected; to know of number of the centrifuges one should wait for the next 20 days when IAEA inspectors present their reports," said deputy head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization Mohammad Saiedi to reporters on the sidelines of celebrations at Natanz nuclear site marking the National Day of Nuclear Technology.

He declined to comment on whether Iran's entry into the stage of fuel production on industrial scale meant injection of gas to 3,000 centrifuges.

Also asked how many centrifuges were needed for start fuel production at the industrial level, Saiedi said, "We enter the industrial stage after passing the pilot stage."

When questioned about the number of centrifuges Iran used in the pilot stage, Saiedi said, "Our pilot stage included two cascades of 164 centrifuges; we passed the stage and entered the industrial level."

Head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization Reza Aqazadeh said today that projects for operation and installation of equipment are making rapid progress, touching a rate of well beyond 13 percent.
"With the entry into the stage of mass-production of centrifuges and the start of nuclear fuel production on an industrial scale and with several years of efforts and hopes bearing fruit, the (nuclear) project has entered a new stage," said Aqazadeh on the National Day of Nuclear Technology here on Monday.

Aqazadeh said the project's executive operations began in 2003 with the aim of securing partially the long-term nuclear fuel requirements of the country's nuclear power plants.

He said all the stages of designing, construction and production of parts, as well as the assembling, installation and operation procedures were conducted by young Iranian graduates and technicians.
Latest technology and achievements were used to inaugurate the project, he added.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Aqazadeh said installation of important facilities for heavy water production has been among the important achievements of Iranian experts and scientists, seeming like they conquered one of the important peaks of nuclear science. The 40-megawatt research reactor in Arak was among other important sections, executive operations of which started in October 2004, he added.

Development of nuclear power plants based on a Majlis approval is on the IAEO agenda and 20 megawatts of nuclear energy will be generated in the coming years, he added.

Aqazadeh said that over the past one year, 270 tons of UF6 have been produced in Iran.

Aqazadeh further said IAEO is conducting comprehensive research on optic, nuclear fusion, laser, nuclear agriculture, medicine and engineering.

President Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad said today that given production of poisonous and greenhouse gases, the pollution of fossil fuels cannot be compared to nuclear fuel, adding that reduced use of fossil fuels will be beneficial to world people.

"If fossil fuels were suitable, Western governments would not have switched to more extensive use of nuclear fuel while opposing Iran's access to it. "In some Western countries, nuclear fuel is used to supply up to 80 percent of their required electric energy and hundreds of nuclear power plants have been established all over the world," he added.

The president said that Iran had earlier signed a number of agreements with the US, Canada, France and Germany on nonmilitary and peaceful use of nuclear energy, scientific research and development of technology, which were either canceled or suspended due to technical and political reasons.

He said that Iran has not benefited from the advantages envisaged in the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) despite being an IAEA member state for the past 35 years. "According to IAEA Charter, member states are entitled to certain benefits as enshrined in the NPT and the states having nuclear technology are committed to help other member states attain their NPT rights," Ahmadi-Nejad said.

"In return for the privileges, member states undertake not to divert from the civilian course to the weapons program," he said in his address to a ceremony to mark the "National Day for Nuclear Technology".

Iran's First Vice President Parviz Davoudi had said Sunday that according to Article 4 of the NPT, all members are entitled to access nuclear technology for peaceful purposes and that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is bound to see to it that this is materialized

"Iran has abided by its undertakings as per the NPT" President Ahmadi-Nejad said, adding that Iran has provided the IAEA with several thousand documents to prove the civilian nature of the national program and that all Iranian activities are conducted under the supervision of the UN nuclear agency.

He said "Iran has proved that its nuclear program is civilian. The question is that why Security Council members which failed to abide by their NPT undertakings have attempted to trample upon Iranian NPT rights."

He said that the procedure of adopting resolutions at the Security Council after the collapse of the former Soviet Union indicated emergence of pressure and bullying by certain powers.

He said that Iranian nuclear program is transparent and that Iran has provided the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) with thousands of documents to prove civilian nature of its national program.

Ahmadi-Nejad said that the Iranian nation will powerfully defend and safeguard its rights. He felicitated the nation on production of nuclear fuel at industrial level saying "From now on, Iran is placed in the category of the nations producing fuel at industrial level. As servant of the great nation, let me extend my felicitations on the success." He said that enemies of Iran are annoyed with progress of the Iranian nation in every field.

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad-Ali Hosseini yesterday stressed that suspension of enrichment is not on Iran's agenda. "Suspension (of uranium enrichment) is in no way on Iran's agenda because we believe it runs counter to regulations of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). We find no logic to do so," he said.

Meantime, Iran and Russia will resume their third round of talks on financial problem of Bushehr power plant, in southern Iranian Bushehr province, in Tehran today. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Saltanov said imposing sanctions on Iran and military threats against this country to solve its nuclear dossier is "Ineffective." In a press conference on Friday, Saltanov said the experience of Iraq showed that these methods are not efficient.

Previous Stories:
  Ahmadi-Nejad speaks of nuclear program success   (4/2/2007)
  Iran limits cooperation with nuclear agency due to 'illegal' resolution against it   (3/26/2007)
  Iran: Intransigence of West has fixes the nuclear position   (3/13/2007)

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