NICOSIA — Iran plans to announce new developments in its nuclear
program on its National Nuclear Day, on April 9.
Western analysts said Iran has already reached the capability to produce
sufficient uranium for a nuclear weapon. They said Iran's 6,000 centrifuges
could produce at least one atomic bomb every three months, Middle East Newsline reported.
Officials said Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad would disclose
breakthroughs in Teheran's nuclear program.
"There will be good news," Iranian Energy Minister Parviz Fatah, who did
not elaborate, said.
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Ahmedinejad was scheduled to convene the Iranian leadership at the
Natanz uranium enrichment facility, the site of about 6,000 gas centrifuges,
most of them designed by Pakistan. Officials said the president was expected
to announce Iran's development and production of advanced centrifuges.
Iran was also expected to inaugurate the fuel manufacturing plant at
Isfahan. Isfahan already contains a uranium conversion facility.
Officials said the government was also preparing to launch its first
nuclear energy reactor at Bushehr. They said Bushehr could begin initial
operations, including the production of 500 megawatts of electricity, by
September 2009. The $1 billion Bushehr facility, constructed by Russia, was
designed to produce 1,000 megawatts.