Britain Wants Answers over Iran Nuclear Move
Scotsman - By Jamie Lyons
Mar 31, 2004
Britain tonight demanded that Iran explain its decision to resume work on a key nuclear programme in apparent breach of a deal with the UN.
Iran has announced a facility to convert uranium is to be brought into service despite its promise to suspend all uranium-enrichment activities.
The Foreign Office joined France and Germany in expressing concern.
“This announcement sends the wrong signal about Iranian willingness to implement a suspension of nuclear enrichment-related activities,” a spokesman said.
“It will make it more difficult for Iran to re-establish international confidence in her undertakings.
“Iran must explain her statement and her intentions. Also in this respect the forthcoming declaration, which Iran is committed to make under the Additional Protocol, will be of the utmost importance.”
The chief of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organisation, Gholam-Reza Aghasadeh, confirmed the plans on state television.
He said the experimental phase of the Esfahan processing installation had begun and experimental production would start within 20 days
The Esfahan installation is listed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as a Uranium Conversion Facility (UCF), where the refining of yellow cake takes place to produce materials that can be then used to produce enriched uranium.
In a deal with the IAEA struck late last year, Tehran agreed to suspend uranium enrichment – and all related activities – while UN inspectors investigated suspicions the country was using a bid to generate atomic energy as a cover for developing nuclear weapons.
http://www.daneshjoo.org/generalnews/article/publish/article_5534.shtml