Thursday, 19 November 2009
The Iranian envoy to the International Atomic Energy Agency said Tehran would freeze its civilian uranium enrichment program "under no circumstances," the Iranian INSA news agency said.
"Concerns, which the IAEA expressed over the possibility that Iran could hide other objects of its peaceful uranium processing, are just a politically incorrect statement, which oversteps the organization's competence," Ali Asghar Soltanieh was quoted by the news agency as saying.
He said the construction of the second nuclear enrichment plant in Iran has become a "clear political message" to the international community, intended to show that "neither sanctions of the UN Security Council, nor threats of military invasion would freeze uranium enrichment, which we [Iran] carry out in full accordance with the IAEA regulations."
Soltanieh was quoted as saying the Western states, which still do not accept Iran's position concerning the issue, should resign themselves to "this reality," adding the Islamic republic "under no circumstances will abandon its peaceful nuclear facilities including enrichment operations."
The United Nations nuclear watchdog said in a report on Monday that Iran's tardiness in admitting to a second uranium enrichment site raises concerns that it may be hiding further information on nuclear facilities.
Iran admitted to the existence of an enrichment site near the city of Qom in September, and IAEA inspectors granted access to the facility the following month said construction was at an advanced stage.
"The agency has indicated [to Iran] that its declaration of the new facility reduces the level of confidence in the absence of other nuclear facilities under construction and gives rise to questions about whether there were any other nuclear facilities not declared to the agency," the report said.
According to the report, Iran told the IAEA that it had begun building the facility in 2007, but inspectors believe that the project began in 2002, was paused in 2004, and resumed in 2006.
Iranian state media said the new report shows that the country has been providing accurate information on its nuclear program.
The United States and other Western nations fear Iran's nuclear program could be a cover for weapons production. Tehran says it needs nuclear technology to produce electricity.
In October, the IAEA suggested Iran could store enriched uranium for use at Iranian atomic power plants in a neutral country, Turkey. Turkey said it is ready to host Iranian fuel.
The Iranian authorities said the Islamic Republic could agree to a UN-brokered deal if it receives enriched uranium for its research reactor first.
RIA Novosti
