IRAN 'ENTERS NEW NUCLEAR PHASE' !
The Natanz plant is thought to have room for 50,000 centrifuges. Iran can now produce nuclear fuel on an industrial scale, President Ahmadinejad has announced, in a move likely to further strain tensions with the West
He gave no details of Iran's capacity, but some officials said 3,000 uranium gas enrichment centrifuges were running at the Natanz plant in central Iran.
Mr Ahmadinejad's speech came as Iran celebrated nuclear technology day.
Iran maintains its nuclear programme is purely peaceful, but the West fears it wants to build atomic bombs.
The UN has passed two packages of sanctions against Iran for refusing to suspend its uranium enrichment programme.
A US spokesman said the White House was "very concerned" about the Iranian announcement.
"Iran continues to defy the international community and further isolate itself by expanding its nuclear programme, rather than suspending uranium enrichment," said Gordon Johndroe, spokesman for the White House National Security Council.
NPT warning
"With great honour, I declare that as of today our dear country has joined the nuclear club of nations and can produce nuclear fuel on an industrial scale," Mr Ahmadinejad told the audience at Natanz.
He did not say how many centrifuges - the machines that spin uranium gas in order to enrich it to levels needed for fuel - were now operational at Natanz.
Iran announced in February that it had set up two cascades of 164 centrifuges each at Natanz. It said it planned to have 3,000 centrifuges by the end of last month.
Ali Larijani, Iran's chief nuclear negotiator with the West, said at Natanz on Monday that Iran had begun injecting gas into many of the centrifuges, without specifying the number.
Some other officials said 3,000 centrifuges had been installed, the BBC's Frances Harrison at Natanz reports.
The most sensitive areas at Natanz, deep underground, are thought to be halls that can hold up to 50,000 centrifuges.
The Iranian president again asserted his country's right to nuclear development for peaceful purposes.
And he also warned that Iran would have no choice but to review its membership of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty if further pressure was applied by the West.
Journalists and diplomats were invited to the special events taking place at Natanz, but European Union diplomats boycotted them in protest at Iran's refusal to comply with UN demands to end its uranium enrichment programme.
BBC NEWS REPORT.
He gave no details of Iran's capacity, but some officials said 3,000 uranium gas enrichment centrifuges were running at the Natanz plant in central Iran.
Mr Ahmadinejad's speech came as Iran celebrated nuclear technology day.
Iran maintains its nuclear programme is purely peaceful, but the West fears it wants to build atomic bombs.
The UN has passed two packages of sanctions against Iran for refusing to suspend its uranium enrichment programme.
A US spokesman said the White House was "very concerned" about the Iranian announcement.
"Iran continues to defy the international community and further isolate itself by expanding its nuclear programme, rather than suspending uranium enrichment," said Gordon Johndroe, spokesman for the White House National Security Council.
NPT warning
"With great honour, I declare that as of today our dear country has joined the nuclear club of nations and can produce nuclear fuel on an industrial scale," Mr Ahmadinejad told the audience at Natanz.
He did not say how many centrifuges - the machines that spin uranium gas in order to enrich it to levels needed for fuel - were now operational at Natanz.
Iran announced in February that it had set up two cascades of 164 centrifuges each at Natanz. It said it planned to have 3,000 centrifuges by the end of last month.
Ali Larijani, Iran's chief nuclear negotiator with the West, said at Natanz on Monday that Iran had begun injecting gas into many of the centrifuges, without specifying the number.
Some other officials said 3,000 centrifuges had been installed, the BBC's Frances Harrison at Natanz reports.
The most sensitive areas at Natanz, deep underground, are thought to be halls that can hold up to 50,000 centrifuges.
The Iranian president again asserted his country's right to nuclear development for peaceful purposes.
And he also warned that Iran would have no choice but to review its membership of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty if further pressure was applied by the West.
Journalists and diplomats were invited to the special events taking place at Natanz, but European Union diplomats boycotted them in protest at Iran's refusal to comply with UN demands to end its uranium enrichment programme.
posted by jackaranda at 5:44 pm
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