NICOSIA — Iran has completed preparations to resume uranium enrichment activities.
Western diplomatic sources confirmed Iranian preparations for the
production of uranium hexafluoride, or UF6, at Isfahan. UF6 production was
halted in November 2004 as part of an agreement with Britain, Germany and
France.
Irnaian officials said the activities would begin this week at the
Uranium Conversion Facility in Isfahan. The facility has converted raw
uranium for centrifuges in a process required for uranium enrichment, a key
element in the assembly of nuclear weapons, Middle East Newsline reported.
"Iran will decide whether to resume its uranium enrichment program this
week in Teheran," Iranian National Security Adviser Hassan Rowhani said over
the weekend. "Iran is unlikely to start enriching uranium at Natanz, but
some activities might be resumed next week at Isfahan's Uranium Conversion
Facility complex."
The sources said the three European Union countries failed to persuade
Iran from suspend plans to renew uranium enrichment-related activities
at Isfahan.
The expected resumption of UF6 production came as Iran attended the
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty review conference on Monday in New York.
Iran has insisted that uranium enrichment was allowed under the NPT.
"The Europeans want the negotiations to take a long time," Rowhani said.
"Iran will be prepared to continue nuclear negotiations with the Europeans
if it resumes part of its enrichment activities."
