New centrifuges to be clarified soon, says Iran's nuclear head

Tehran - Speculation over an increase in the number of centrifuges at iran's nuclear sites will be clarified soon, the head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization said Sunday. Gholam-Reza Aqazadeh said foreign diplomats would be taken very soon to the uranium enrichment plant in Natanz in central Iran to see the 'transparency' of Iran's nuclear activities. The statement followed a recent statement by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad that - on the occasion of the 28th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic revolution Iran on February 11 - Iran would proclaim new achievements in its nuclear work. An announcement is widely expected on an increase in the number centrifuges from 328 to 3,000 - either by February 11 or by the end of the Iranian year on March 20. The news network Khabar reported that the operation of the new centrifuges would be announced next week. Iran's IAEA envoy Ali-Asqar Soltanieh said Sunday on Khabar that the International Atomic Energy Agency had already been informed of Iran's plans to install 3,000 centrifuges. IAEA head Mohamed ElBaradei had already confirmed last month receipt of Iran's plans. Soltanieh said Saturday that details on the new centrifuges would be clarified at the latest in the next ElBaradei report following thorough IAEA inspections at Natanz. Aqazadeh, who is also vice-president, said he expected the ElBaradei report would once again prove that Iran had not violated its commitments to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). 'Iran's nuclear case has been politicised and should be settled accordingly. The IAEA is either unwilling or incapable of settling the issue,' Aqazadeh was quoted by ISNA news agency as saying. He once again rejected UN Security Council resolution 1737 as legally unjustifiable. Iran would not follow UN demands to suspend uranium enrichment by the deadline of February 21, even though Tehran might face sanctions for its defiance, he said. Iran Saturday opened the gates of the its uranium conversion plant in Isfahan to diplomats from the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and foreign reporters in what was seen as an effort to avoid UN sanctions. But the move was criticised even by the local press as irrelevant, as the main controversy was not over uranium conversion at Isfahan but the enrichment process at the neighbouring Natanz plant, while sanctions would be imposed at the behest not of NAM member states but of the five UN veto powers plus Germany. But Aqazadeh said that NAM represented a population over 1 billion and was therefore important for Iran. Terming the move as 'software confrontation with false Western reports on Iran's nuclear programmes,' Soltanieh also said the NAM states which support Iran's right to pursue a civil nuclear programme played an important role for Tehran. © 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur

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GooseFeb 5th, 2007 - 04:30:13

The crux of this problem is that Iran declared war on the west about 20 years ago but forgot to tell anyone, including their own people.

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FrankFeb 5th, 2007 - 08:26:33

Bollocks Goose

The crux of this problem is that Bush has declared war on Iran about 20 days ago but forgot to tell anyone, including his own people.

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FrankFeb 5th, 2007 - 12:04:20

I don't know if you read this letter in the Sunday Times.FEB 4th page18.

Diplomacy can still win Iran
As former US military leaders,we strongly caution against the use of miltary force agaist Iran.An attack on Iran would have disasterous consequences for security in the region ect.,ect.
signed.
LT General Robert G Gard jr
General Joseph P Hoar
Vice Admiral Jack Shanhan.
(Google for full text}

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Google operation moonbat!!!Feb 5th, 2007 - 16:27:21

Poor Frank, typical of the blame Bush for everything derangement syndrome. The Iranian 'revolution' (devolution) was in 1978-79. Bush was elected president in 2000.

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FrankFeb 5th, 2007 - 16:38:00

To hell with what happened twenty seven years ago.
I would concern yourself with what is happening NOW!!

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Do you chant 'death to America' as well?Feb 5th, 2007 - 16:48:00

'To hell with what happened twenty seven years ago.'

You are dealing with people who think in terms of centuries and will go back a lot further then 20 years to hold a grudge as an excuse to commit violence.

'I would concern yourself with what is happening NOW!!'

Quite concerned, but I am not going to see everything through a kaleidoscope of hate and rage for a single person and allow myself to fall victim to the stupid idea that everything and anyone who opposes Bush is 'good'. That mindset is pretty infantile, especially in light of what Iran has demonstrated itself capable of.

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FrankFeb 5th, 2007 - 23:30:07

WORDS
The words of a man who plans revolt is confused
The words of a man who entertains doubt in his mind are ramified
The words of men of good fortune are few
Excited men use many words
Slanderers of good men are roundabout in their words
The words of a man who has lost his standpoint are twisted. (Ta Chuan)

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You forgot to parrot 'Tirannt' on that last postFeb 6th, 2007 - 04:23:49

Ill bet that signified a lot to you frank...

Nothing to anyone else though.

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