Iran denies temporary halt to uranium enrichment

Iran’s foreign minister today denied the claim of the UN nuclear chief that his country had temporarily slowed its nuclear programme.

He insisted that Iran’s enrichment of uranium was continuing unabated.

“Iran’s legitimate activities with the aim of producing fuel … is continuing its natural trend,” said Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki. “There has been no change in that course.”

The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Mohamed ElBaradei, yesterday said Iran appeared to have at least temporarily paused on the development of its uranium enrichment programme.

Enriched uranium is used to fuel nuclear power stations and, taken to a higher degree, can be used in the manufacture of nuclear bombs.

Speaking in Vienna, Mr ElBaradei said: “I do not believe that the number of centrifuges has increased, nor do I believe that (new) nuclear material has been introduced to the centrifuges (in the enrichment centre) at Natanz.”

Iran’s Atomic Energy Organisation also said there had been no change in the enrichment schedule.

“Iran’s enrichment activities in Natanz are continuing as planned. No change has been made,” the official Islamic Republic News Agency quoted the organisation as saying.