Iran still enriching uranium
2006-06-08 22:30
Vienna - Iran is continuing uranium enrichment as well as building new production lines for the centrifuge machines that carry out the sensitive nuclear work, the United Nations nuclear watchdog said on Thursday in a report obtained by AFP.
The development dashes hopes that Tehran might be prepared to make an immediate pause in activities that can lead to the development of nuclear weapons.
"On June 6 2006, (Iran) started feeding UF6 (uranium gas) into the 164-machine cascade (line of centrifuges).
"Iran is continuing its installation work on other 164-machine cascades," said the report from Mohamed ElBaradei, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
The report said there had in fact been no pause in enrichment since the first batch of uranium was enriched in April, since Iran had carried out testing with two single centrifuges before re-loading the 164-machine centrifuge on Tuesday.
Uranium can be enriched to produce nuclear reactor fuel.
But if it is enriched to a much greater degree it can be used to manufacture atom bombs.
It is enriched by centrifuges arranged in cascades in order to refine the uranium 235 isotope.
The United States charges that Tehran is using its civilian nuclear energy programme as a cover for the development of nuclear weapons, an accusation the Iranians have repeatedly denied.
Iran has refused to halt its enrichment work, which it began on April 11.
- AFP