AFP
Monday, January 15, 2007
Iran on Monday defiantly stuck by its ambition to massively
crank up uranium enrichment capacity amid spiralling tensions
with the United States over its role in the Middle East.
Government spokesman Gholam Hossein Elham said Iran wanted to
install "even more" than 3,000 centrifuges to enrich
uranium at a key nuclear plant in defiance of Western warnings
to freeze the sensitive activity.
His comments came amid a rumbling controversy over the arrest
of five Iranian nationals by American forces in Iraq, accused
by the United States of being Revolutionary Guards agents bent
on stirring up trouble.
"We are heading towards a production of nuclear fuel that
needs 3,000 and even more centrifuges," Elham told reporters.
"Our aim is to ensure our industrial needs."
Elham confirmed that Iran would be making a major announcement
on the "completion" of Iran's nuclear programme during
the 10-day anniversary celebrations for the Islamic revolution
in February. He did not go into details.
It remains unclear how far Iran has advanced with the plan to
install 3,000 centrifuges and Elham only said the UN nuclear inspectors
had been kept informed of "completed work".
The Islamic republic has so far declared the installation of
two cascades of 164 centrifuges at the plant in Natanz and the
installation of 3,000 centrifuges would mark a major step towards
industrial enrichment.
It has so far shown no sign of caving into a Security Council
resolution that imposed the first ever UN sanctions against Iran
over its failure to suspend enrichment, which can be used to fuel
power stations or to make nuclear bombs.
The United States accuses Iran of seeking a nuclear weapon, a
charge fiercely rejected by Tehran which insists it only wants
to provide energy for a growing population.
The previous day, foreign ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini
had dismissed speculation that Iran had slowed down its activities
in Natanz, saying the enrichment work was continuing.
Its defiance comes amid mounting accusations from the United
States that Iran is using its influence to meddle in the region,
especially in Lebanon and Shiite-majority Iraq.
US President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney both
issued new warnings to Iran Saturday, while US forces are still
holding the five Iranians arrested in northern Iraq who Tehran
says are merely consular staff.
"If we catch your people inside (Iraq) harming US citizens
or Iraqi citizens you know we will deal with them," Bush
warned Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in a television interview.
Iran was "fishing in troubled waters" in Iraq, Cheney
said. "We think it's very important that they keep their
folks at home."
However Elham lashed out at the United States, which has had
no diplomatic relations with Iran since the seizure of the US
embassy by student radicals in 1979.
"The Americans are in a situation of escaping from the region
and are ready to curse and insult in order to save face,"
he said.
He reaffirmed that Iran remains open to dialogue with the United
States, but only on condition that Washington first changes its
attitude towards Iran and the region.
"If the Americans are willing to get out of the region,
and if they leave in calm, their previous yells and screams will
be forgotten," said Elham.
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