The Hindu : International : Iran has enriched uranium: Rafsanjani

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Apr 12, 2006

International

International

Iran has enriched uranium: Rafsanjani

TEHERAN: Iran has successfully enriched uranium for the first time, using 164 centrifuges, a major development in its nuclear programme, said the former Iranian President, Hashemi Rafsanjani, on Tuesday according to a news agency.

The U.N. Security Council has demanded that Iran stop all uranium enrichment activity by April 28.

Iran has rejected the demand, saying it has a right to develop the process. Head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency Mohamed ElBaradei is due in Iran this week for talks to try to resolve the standoff.

Interviewed by the Kuwait News Agency in Teheran, Mr. Rafsanjani said: ``Iran has put into operation the first unit of 164 centrifuges, has injected [uranium] gas and has reached industrial production. We should expand the work of these machines to achieve a full industrial line. We need dozens of these units [sets of 164 centrifuges] to achieve a uranium enrichment facility,'' he said.

It was the first announcement that Iran had successfully enriched uranium since February when it began research at its enrichment facility in the town of Natanz.

Enriching uranium to a low level produces fuel for nuclear reactors. To a higher level, it produces the material for a nuclear bomb. Mr. Rafsanjani did not disclose the amount of uranium that Iran had enriched through the 164 centrifuges, but he said it would put the country in a good position for the visit later this week of Mr. ElBaradei.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said the Islamic republic would ``soon join the club of countries that have nuclear technology,'' state television reported.

``Iran will soon join the club of countries that have nuclear technology,'' he was quoted as saying in a speech in the northeast of the country. ``The equation will change in favour of the Iranian people.'' He also told the country to expect ``good news'' later about the nuclear drive. — AP

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