Regis Philbin
Feb 25th, 2009, 07:30 PM
http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSLP58564820090225?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&rpc=22&sp=true
Iran says no slowdown in its nuclear work
Wed Feb 25, 2009 9:08am EST
ESTBUSHEHR, Iran (Reuters) - Iran denied it had slowed down its nuclear activities and said it planned to install 50,000 centrifuges to enrich uranium over the next five years, a senior Iranian nuclear official said on Wednesday.
The U.N. nuclear agency watchdog said last week that Iran had slowed the expansion of its uranium enrichment plant at Natanz but had built up a stockpile of nuclear fuel.
The West accuses Iran of covertly seeking to build nuclear weapons, a charge Tehran denies, insisting its activities are aimed at generating electricity to meet soaring demand in the world's fourth largest oil producer.
"Our plan to install and run centrifuges is not based on political conditions. We have a plan and we will go ahead with it," the head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, Gholamreza Aghazadeh, told a news conference.
U.S. President Barack Obama has said the United States is prepared to talk to Tehran, in a break from his predecessor's approach, but his administration has also warned of tougher sanctions if Iran refuses to halt its nuclear work.
Iran says no slowdown in its nuclear work
Wed Feb 25, 2009 9:08am EST
ESTBUSHEHR, Iran (Reuters) - Iran denied it had slowed down its nuclear activities and said it planned to install 50,000 centrifuges to enrich uranium over the next five years, a senior Iranian nuclear official said on Wednesday.
The U.N. nuclear agency watchdog said last week that Iran had slowed the expansion of its uranium enrichment plant at Natanz but had built up a stockpile of nuclear fuel.
The West accuses Iran of covertly seeking to build nuclear weapons, a charge Tehran denies, insisting its activities are aimed at generating electricity to meet soaring demand in the world's fourth largest oil producer.
"Our plan to install and run centrifuges is not based on political conditions. We have a plan and we will go ahead with it," the head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, Gholamreza Aghazadeh, told a news conference.
U.S. President Barack Obama has said the United States is prepared to talk to Tehran, in a break from his predecessor's approach, but his administration has also warned of tougher sanctions if Iran refuses to halt its nuclear work.