Iran nuclear growth concern

THE UN atomic agency thinks Iran could have 8,000 centrifuges enriching uranium by December, a significant rise in nuclear capability likely to fuel fears that Tehran is seeking nuclear weapons, diplomats said yesterday.

“The concern is that they will have a sensitive number of centrifuges without having resolved the question marks surrounding the history of Iran’s programme,” said a diplomat close to the watchdog International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

“It becomes more sensitive the more they have. It becomes a greater proliferation concern.”

The diplomat said IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei had been telling political leaders in private conversations that Iran was making “steady progress” in uranium enrichment and showed no sign of slowing down.

“Mr ElBaradei is saying that Iran will have 8,000 centrifuges running if the current pace (of installation) continues,” he said.