No delay in Iran nuclear work
2009-02-25 21:41
Bushehr - Iran denied it had slowed
down its nuclear activities and said it planned to install
50 000 centrifuges to enrich uranium over the next five years, a
senior Iranian nuclear official said on Wednesday.
The UN nuclear agency watchdog said last week that Iran
had slowed the expansion of its uranium enrichment plant at
Natanz, but had built up a stockpile of nuclear fuel.
The West accuses Iran of covertly seeking to build nuclear
weapons, a charge Tehran denies, insisting its activities are
aimed at generating electricity to meet soaring demand in the
world's fourth largest oil producer.
"Our plan to install and run centrifuges is not based on
political conditions. We have a plan and we will go ahead with
it," the head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation, Gholamreza
Aghazadeh, told a news conference.
Tougher
sanctions
US President Barack Obama has said the United States is
prepared to talk to Tehran, in a break from his predecessor's
approach, but his administration has also warned of tougher
sanctions if Iran refuses to halt its nuclear work.
"America should face reality and accept living with a
nuclear Iran. This acceptance will allow America better access
to Iran's [nuclear] market," Aghazadeh said, adding that a fresh
nuclear achievement would be announced on April 9.
He did not give details.
Aghazadeh was speaking in Bushehr, in southwest Iran, where
Iran is building its first nuclear power plant.
Iran said on
Wednesday it had carried out successful tests at the Russian-
built plant, taking it a step closer to its launch.
"Currently we have 6 000 running centrifuges in Natanz and
we will increase our activities to install more by the end of
next [(Iranian] year (to March 2010)," Aghazadeh said.
He did not say how many centrifuges would be in place by
March 2010, but added that Iran planned to install 50 000
centrifuges in the next five years.
"We have not changed our scheduled in Natanz. We have
neither slowed down or accelerated our activities there," he
said.