TEHRAN, Iran - Iran's top nuclear negotiator said Sunday that Iran will
expand uranium enrichment, in defiance of a UN Security Council resolution
giving the Islamic Republic until Aug. 31 to halt the activity or face the
threat of political and economic sanctions.
Ali Larijani called the UN Security Council resolution issued last week
illegal and said Iran won't respect the deadline. "We reject this resolution,"
he told reporters.
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Iran's top nuclear
negotiator Ali Larijani, who is also Iran's Sercretary of Supreme National
Security Council, speaks during a press conference in Tehran, Iran,
Sunday, Aug. 6, 2006. Larijani said Sunday that Iran will expand uranium
enrichment activities, in defiance of a UN Security Council resolution
giving the Islamic Republic until August 31 to halt nuclear activities or
face the threat of political and economic sanctions.
[AP]
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"We will expand nuclear activities where required. It includes all nuclear
technology including the string of centrifuges," Larijani said, referring to the
centrifuges Iran uses to enrich uranium.
He said Iran had not violated any of its obligations under the Nuclear
Non-Proliferation treaty, and that the UN had no right to require it suspend
enrichment. "We won't accept suspension," he said.
Larijani said the Security Council resolution contradicted a package of
Western incentives offered in June to persuade Tehran to suspend its enrichment
activities. He reiterated that Iran would formally respond to the incentives
package on Aug. 22.
Iran has said it will never give up its right to produce nuclear fuel, but
has indicated it may suspend large-scale activities to ease tensions with the
West.
Larijani said the world should blame the United States and its allies for
acting against their proposed package and seeking to deny Iran its rights under
the NPT.
The United States has accused Iran of seeking nuclear weapons. Tehran
maintains its program is peaceful and intended to generate electricity.
In February, Iran for the first time produced a batch of low-enriched
uranium, using a cascade of 164 centrifuges. The process of uranium enrichment
can be used to generate electricity or to create an atomic weapon, depending on
the level of enrichment.
Iran said it plans to install 3,000 centrifuges at its enrichment plant in
Natanz, central Iran, by the end of the year. Industrial production of enriched
uranium in Natanz would require 54,000 centrifuges.
Hard-liners within Iran's ruling Islamic establishment have called on the
government to withdraw from the NPT in response to the UN resolution, but the
government has not heeded the call.
Withdrawal from the treaty could end all international oversight of Iran's
nuclear program.
