Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said today that Tehran would continue to expand its uranium enrichment facilities to up to 50,000 centrifuges. Ahmadinejad made the comments in a news conference in Turkey.
“We are currently producing fuel for our nuclear plants… We have one facility in Natanz and another one is being built near Qom. I have already said that we should at least have 50,000 centrifuges to provide the fuel for one power plant,” Ahmadinejad said [IRINN, 9 November].
Referring to the proposal put forward at Vienna talks, Ahmadinejad was vague as to Iran’s intentions to accept or reject it. He said the idea of purchasing higher grade LEU came from Iran, but did not say if Iran was ready to swap most of its low grade LEU for the higher-grade fuel, as agreed upon in Vienna.
"The West used all they had in its power against the Iranian nation, but the nation was steadfast and was victorious. The proposal to purchase 20 percent enriched uranium was made by us to start interaction [with the West]. They are the ones to choose. We prefer them to choose interaction, but they are free to choose," Ahmadinejad said.
3 comments:
as i believe iran has 3 chooses to make first the need 116 kg high enreachment as you can convert from 3.5% only reguire 800 kg to transfare from what west want 1600kg which is not logic to it second they want for 18 month to deliver to iran that is not logic to it reguire to finished 3.5pc to 20 % only 3 month is at most so iran want to find out why should sent 1600kg for price of 116 kg for 20% third obtion why should trust west to delive the product which has not send for years in fourth way they has capability to produce 20% final they are not trust west and even russian in this part it may be turky the most trusted person for iran and by sending 800 kg in one time they coud by end of march supplied of natanza will bee as same as today this is the way iran bargen is in all senario iran got what she want.
Anon,
Your calculations might very well make sense, Iran wanting to send out enough LEU to Turkey that can be reproduced in Natanz in short order. However, I do not believe the West is after financial gains here. The transfer to Russia and France of 1,200 kg (and not 1,600 kg) of LEU, as proposed in Vienna, is seen by the West as a confidence building measure. The details need to be worked out, and if your calculations are right, Iran needs to get more high-grade fuel for 1,200 kg LEU. But even if the exchange rate is corrected, the question remains: is Iran ready to change its nuclear doctrine to normalize its relationship with the West, and particularly with the US? I believe there is a serious debate on the issue in Tehran, and I do not foresee Tehran’s ability to change its policy when the proposal is under attack by the most prominent conservative forces in the country.
New threat Iran or Iraq...???
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