"Iran vows enrichment freeze to be short-lived"

[TexasLawyer]

Iran vows enrichment freezing to be short-lived

Monday, January 31, 2005 - ©2005 IranMania.com

LONDON, Jan 31 (IranMania) - Iran's top nuclear negotiator on Monday warned that the Islamic republic intends to resume uranium enrichment and its current suspension of the controversial process will not last long. "The length of the suspension will not be very long and will be valid for the duration of the negotiations and only on the condition that the negotiations make progress," Hassan Rowhani told the Hamshahri newspaper in an interview, AFP reported.

"In the future we will most certainly resume enrichment, but as for how long the suspension will last is going to depend on many factors." Iran, accused by the United States of trying to build an atomic bomb, has suspended uranium enrichment as a confidence-building measure during talks with the European Union but the bloc now wants Tehran to commit itself to abandon the process completely.

The so-called EU3, Britain, France and Germany, are holding talks with Iran on a potentially lucrative trade pact linked to a definitive deal on its nuclear programme. Iran insists that its nuclear programmes are purely peaceful and that the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty guarantees its right to peaceful enrichment activities.

Asked if Iran would resume enriching uranium before the end of President Mohammad Khatami's mandate next August, Rowhani replied: "Negotiations should end before this date. But if they do not end we cannot wait until then." "Our aim is to be able to continue our enrichment activities and at the same time to give the necessary guarantees to the international community that these activities are peaceful. The aim of the negotiations is to arrive at an agreement with the Europeans," he said.

Rowhani's comments marked a further sharpening of rhetoric between Tehran and the European Union, which is hoping diplomacy will bring about a peaceful solution to the Iranian nuclear issue.

<snip>

http://www.iranmania.com/News/ArticleView/Default.asp?NewsCode=29265&NewsKind=Current%20Affairs

[egoprofit]

1. please just start nuking each other already...

i'm tired of the bullshit. every country should start nuking each other and we can go ahead and get this bad movie over with.

[Rex]

2. yellowcake?

I bet they don't even warn the UN this time.

[mom cat]

3. I am just curious: What are the peaceful uses of enriched uranium?

I am just wondering if Iran's statement is as confrontational as this article implies, or if threr are non weapons uses of enriched uranium.

[Dudley_DUright]

4. Enriched uranium is also necessary to make nuclear

reactors for nuclear power generation (but not as high a percentage of U-235 is necessary as compared to atomic bombs, hence the term "weapons grade")

"Highly enriched uranium is the ingredient for nuclear weapons. It really has no place in any civilian program, except maybe for research. But no one wants to see it anywhere. Enriched uranium is necessary for use in nuclear reactors. But highly enriched uranium is way beyond that and generally has only one purpose," she says.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/iran/2003/iran-030827-rferl-172732.htm

[mom cat]

6. Thanks for the clarification. Now, is Iran talking about enriched or

highly enriched uranium?

[Dudley_DUright]

9. That MC is the open question

In public, they are talking about civilian use for nuclear power plants, but the same technology can be used to make highly enriched uranium. The IAEA is suppose to keep tabs on this sort of thing to avoid cheating, but it is not clear that Iran is being open about their nuclear program. This from the head of the IAEA:

We are making good progress. It was difficult at the beginning but since December of last year we have seen an appreciable improvement in co-operation, access to sites, and access to information. Therefore we are now in a position to say that declared materials in Iran have not been diverted but we still have a lot of work to do with regard to possible undeclared material or activity.

This is usually a long-term process. We would expect to take a longer time in Iran because of the undeclared nature of the programme for many years. To speed that process I look to Iran to demonstrate full transparency and full co-operation. We are on the right track but we still have a lot of work to do. We understand much better Iran's programme now, but as I have stated before, the jury is still out on our ability to provide assurance that everything has been declared to us.

http://www.iaea.org/NewsCenter/MediaAdvisory/2004/medadvise200415.html

[mom cat]

10. Thanks again for the clarification.

[Monkie]

5. its legal to enrich uranium!freeze is voluntary confidence building

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4031603.stm

"Under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, a country is allowed, under inspection by the IAEA, to enrich uranium to a level needed for nuclear power."

"If it is legal to enrich uranium for fuel, why should Iran be asked not to do so?
Iran was not asked to abandon enrichment by the IAEA - though many countries, including the US and Britain, say that it should be, on the grounds that it cannot be trusted.
It was asked to suspend its programme as a sign of good faith while more rigorous inspection methods, known as an Additional Protocol, are implemented"

its insane!

[VegasWolf]

7. The Neo Conservatives just don't like Iran's goverment, they believe

that all that oil is in the wrong hands.

[Monkie]

8. cuba and iran are the two countries that have resisted the usa since 50's

the right hates that..
if you consider the countries around them they made pretty peaceful transitions from western domination to the relative freedom to pursue their own path
iran had a ruthless king supported by the british
he was overthrown and a coup was attempted by the americans which failed
even the so called rule of the "mullahs" is slowly giving way to a more open and accountable society without to much upheaval