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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Iran's Nuke Nirvana |
| 2007-04-09 |
| Iran on Monday announced that it has begun enriching uranium with 3,000 centrifuges, dramatically expanding a program that the United Nations has demanded it halt. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said at a ceremony at the enrichment facility at Natanz that Iran was now capable of enriching nuclear fuel "on an industrial scale." Asked if Iran has begun injecting uranium gas into 3,000 centrifuges for enrichment, top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani replied, "Yes." He did not elaborate, but it was the first confirmation that Iran had installed the larger set of centrifuges after months of saying it intends to do so. Until now, Iran was only known to have 328 centrifuges operating. Uranium enrichment can produce fuel for a nuclear reactor or the material for a nuclear warhead. The United States and its allies accuse Iran of intending to produce weapons, a charge Tehran denies. The Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N. nuclear watchdog, had no immediate comment on Monday's announcement. In his speech, Ahmadinejad said the door to negotiations with the West remains open. "Iran welcomes any suggestion and dialogue to resolve the issues," he said. He insisted Iran has been cooperative with the U.N. nuclear watchdog, allowing it inspections of its facilities, but he warned, "Don't do something that will make this great nation reconsider its policies" in a reference to the threat of increased U.N. sanctions. "With great honor, 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," Ahmadinejad said. |
| Posted by:Sherry |
| #6 Look, if they want nukes, let's give them some. |
| Posted by: Captain America 2007-04-09 21:09 |
| #5 Is Iran substantially building up its electricity infrastructure? Does it need to? |
| Posted by: gorb 2007-04-09 14:40 |
| #4 Think maybe we could interest Iran in some engineers from Fermilab? |
| Posted by: GK 2007-04-09 12:55 |
| #3 Right on Doc. None of this has anything to do with bringing power stations on-line. Not a mention of the delay in their vaunted "electrcity project" but much celebration over refining. Good for bombs. Israel may feel compelled to strike Natanz. |
| Posted by: Thinemp Whimble 2007-04-09 12:49 |
| #2 Perhaps this explains why the Mullahs were so blase about stiffing Russia. |
| Posted by: doc 2007-04-09 12:26 |
| #1 Russia creates a more complicated Bushehr situation to shake down both sides |
| Posted by: 3dc 2007-04-09 12:02 |