Iran goes further with nuclear plans

Calcutta News.Net
Sunday 1st July, 2007

Iran has increased its controversial uranium enrichment program, according to the UN atomic envoy.

Ali Asghar Soltanieh says construction work on a heavy water reactor in Arak, in central Iran, is continuing, despite International Atomic Energy Agency calls to halt the work.

The UN Security Council has imposed two sets of sanctions on the Iranian government for its continued refusal to suspend its enrichment program.

Iran says it only wants the process to make nuclear fuel, denying allegations that its program is a cover for a weapons drive.

Mr Soltanieh said the Arak reactor, due to be completed in 2009, would replace a research reactor in Tehran.

Mr Soltanieh says the old reactor was supplied by the U.S and it was calibrated to accept enriched uranium.

Iran is operating more than 1,300 centrifuges for enrichment and could have 3,000 by the end of July.

Under ideal conditions they could produce enough highly enriched uranium to produce a nuclear weapon within a year at most.

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