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Top nuclear official: Iran to increase number of first-generation centrifuges at Natanz

Iran Materials 5 September 2011 15:45 (UTC +04:00)
Top nuclear official: Iran to increase number of first-generation centrifuges at Natanz

Azerbaijan, Baku, Sept. 5 /Trend/

The number of the first-generation centrifuges will be increased at Natanz uranium enrichment facility until the end of the Iranian calendar year (ends on March 20, 2012), said the Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Firuddin Abbasi in an interview with ISNA.

Abbasi added that Iranian nuclear specialists develop new generation of centrifuges.

"The production of new centrifuges has not been completed yet," he said. "We should to conduct tests to ensure that they meet required standards."

Abbasi said that over the next three years, Iran seeks to build several nuclear power plants Bushehr like. "In due time, we will inform the IAEA about new nuclear projects", he said.

Iran plans to reserve part of the 20-percent enriched uranium fuel under the IAEA's supervision, Abbasi added.

In June 2011, Abbasi stated about increasing production of 20-percent enriched fuel in Fordo by three times and that this enrichment process will be carried out at Fordo plant. In September 2009 Iran informed the IAEA about construction of the Fordo plant.
Abbasi also said Iran is going to install 164-centrifuge cascades of new generation machines at Natanz and Fordo plants.

In November 2019, Iran announced about construction of 10 new plants for uranium enrichment.

The U.S. and other Western countries accuse Iran of developing nuclear weapons under cover of peaceful nuclear energy program. Tehran denies the charges, saying its nuclear program is aimed at covering the country's electricity needs. Iran insists that as a party to the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons, it has every right to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.

So far, the UN Security Council has adopted six resolutions to suspend the nuclear program Iran, four of which involve economic and some political sanctions against Iran, and two contain warnings.

Last week, IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano has submitted to the Board of Governors a report, saying about growing concerns over Iran's undeclared nuclear activities, including information about Iran's alleged nuclear weapons development.

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