Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad ordered the
full-scale resumption of uranium enrichment on Saturday, hours after
the International Atomic Energy Agency reported Iran to the United Nations
Security Council.
In the letter to Iranian Atomic Energy Organization director Gholamreza
Aqazadeh, Ahmadinejad said Teheran would begin "all research, development
and preparatory-related work on nuclear full-cycle technology for peaceful
purposes."
[On Saturday, the German daily Die Welt reported that Iran secretly
tested a new surface-to-surface missile on Jan. 17, Middle East Newsline reported. The newspaper, which
quoted Western diplomats, said the test was a success, but did not provide
details.]
On Saturday, the IAEA board of governors voted 27-3 to submit the
Iranian nuclear file to the Security Council. A board resolution cited
"Iran's many failures and breaches of obligations to comply" with the
NPT.
Those who voted against Iran included China, Cuba, Russia, Syria and
Venezuela. Algeria, Belarus, Indonesia, Libya and South Africa abstained.
The IAEA board has scheduled its next meeting on March 6.
Iran's president said the nuclear activities would be conducted
within the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, but Iran would no longer
observe the Additional Protocol, which enabled spot IAEA inspections of
suspected nuclear facilities.
Iranian National Security Council deputy director Javad Vaeidi said
uranium enrichment would take place at the nuclear facility at Natanz. He
said he doubted that Teheran would accept a
Russian offer to supply fuel required for the nuclear power reactor at
Bushehr.
"Commercial scale uranium enrichment will be resumed in Natanz in
accordance with the law passed by the parliament," Vaeidi told Iranian state
television.
"The law to oblige the Iranian government to suspend its voluntary
measures if Iran's case is referred or reported to the Security Council,
that was ratified in an open parliament session is hereby decreed to be
executed," Ahmadinejad said in a letter released by his office.
Western diplomats said the Security Council could decide on sanctions
against Iran. They said they expected China, India and Russia to oppose
significant restrictions on trade with Teheran.
"The board has decided the bring to the attention of the Security
Council so that after the board's next session the Security Council can if
necessary bring additional [pressure] to bear on Iran," Britain's envoy to
the IAEA, Peter Jenkins, said.
