Iran 'to keep enrichment program'

[JohnRM]

Iran 'to keep enrichment program'

TOKYO, Japan (CNN) -- Iran's foreign minister has said his country's "final target" is to enrich uranium on its own soil -- even if it accepts a Russian proposal to enrich Iranian uranium there, according to Japan's Kyodo News Agency.

Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki was in Tokyo on Tuesday to meet with Japanese counterpart, Taro Aso.

The International Atomic Energy Agency said in a report to its board of governors that Iran had already begun uranium enrichment on a very small scale.

"We are talking about moving together from where we are now and there is no going back," Mottaki said in an interview with Kyodo. "It means the current situation will be kept and will continue."

Earlier this week, Iran and Russia reported progress in negotiations for a joint enrichment venture which the West hoped would defuse a tense standoff with the Iranians over their nuclear program.

Moscow had offered to enrich uranium for Iran inside Russia, provided Iran ceased enrichment activities inside its own borders.

Iran says its program is for peaceful purposes only, but the West, particularly the United States, remains skeptical that the supposed nuclear power program is simply a front for a nuclear weapons program.

In its report for the March 6 board of governors' meeting, a copy of which was obtained by CNN, the IAEA said Iran was gradually increasing its enrichment work, but remained for the moment far short of the production it would need for weapons.

Earlier this month, the board of governors agreed to refer Iran to the U.N. Security Council based on this upcoming report. The Security Council will use the report to decide what action -- likely sanctions of some sort -- will be taken against Iran.

Negotiations between Iran and the "EU-3" -- Britain, France and Germany -- had failed to reach an agreement over the nuclear program, prompting the push for Security Council referral.

To get approval from Russia and China, the resolution was amended to delay any action by the Security Council against Iran until after the IAEA report is presented to the board next week.

China and Russia, both members of the Security Council, have said they prefer to resolve the situation through diplomatic means and that sanctions would be counterproductive.

Russia, one of Iran's largest trading partners, is trying to head off the nuclear dispute and avoid sanctions.

Iran announced on February 9 -- just after the decision on Security Council referral -- that it intended to begin nuclear research at its Natanz facility. According to the report, it began tests of a single centrifuge on February 11, graduating to 10 centrifuges four days later and to 20 centrifuges on February 22.

Thousands of centrifuges must be in operation to produce enough enriched uranium for nuclear weaponry.

CNN's Matthew Chance contributed to this report.

So much for that Russian deal.

 

[Irish Caesar]

Certainly not a surprise.

 

[CenturionV]

wow you mean they didn't just give up there program because some *cough* russians *cough* told them they should? shocking.....

we will know when they really get there enrichment program going because the israelis will blow them up.....

 

[Irish Caesar]

Seems like close to proof of a weapons program...I don't know the specifics of the proposed agreement, but enriching uranium requires a good deal of energy. Having someone else enrich your uranium for you and take the waste is a perfect option: unless you don't really want low-enriched uranium and you'd like to hold on to the radioactive waste...

 

[CartesianFart]

I am getting tired of this sh!t.I am gonna wait till March 6th to finally find out what is going to happen at the Security council.It is driving me crazy with this media having one story and then another.One tailspin over another.No wonder most of the audience that read the paper or telvision,and internet is confused of this crisis.The media is at the worst by enfeebling us with confusion and confusions.

 

[Tank_Guy#3]

I will take a fraction of a millisecond to recover from my shock....

 

[h4ppy]

Alright, I just made ten bucks!

 

[Pasi Nurminen]

Hopefully after enough of this, the Americans will get the point and leave Iran alone.

 

[h4ppy]

Hopefully after enough of this, the Americans will get the point and leave Iran alone.

If anything the opposite will happen, the Russian deal was Iran's way out, it is obvious that they do not want to take it.

 

[Pasi Nurminen]

If you were trying to develop nuclear weapons, would you let another nation do most of the work for you? Would you let another nation control your supply of nuclear weapons?

Doing so defeats the concept of MAD. They didn't refuse the Russian deal because they're insane or evil or something, they refused the Russian deal because to accept it would render them impotent.

 

[h4ppy]

Exactly, and with America's goal being not letting Iran get nukes even more involvement becomes neccissary the closer they get.

 

[Leonel]

You know what's gonna have to be done now?

The United Nation is going to pass a resolution on Iran SOOOO hard!

 

[Pasi Nurminen]

I'm still waiting for you, happy, to get the basic concept that Iranian nukes are for deterrent purposes only, mostly against American agression, in much the same fashion as North Korea. The lesson is simple: stop being such imperialistic pricks and "rogue nations" will stop developing nuclear weapons. Stop thinking you can do whatever you want in the world and the rest of us just have to take and maybe then you won't be hated so much.

 

[Irish Caesar]

So, Pasi, you don't mind other countries having nuclear weapons just so they can stick it to the USA?

Iran continues to say that it has the right to enrich uranium for power generation. This is just about the same thing as turning to the world and saying, "You know what, world? We're full of it."

 

[El_Machinae]

I agree that they can act as a deterrent. What I don't know is if they will only be used as a deterrent, but as an actual tool.

As well, once the weapons are available, will there be an escalation of hostility against the west (since they can hide behind nukes)?

 

[h4ppy]

and the rest of us just have to take

When have I ever said that seriously? My position has always been that the world can try to go against America. (its just that doing so will usually bring failure)

 

[Sahkuhnder]

I'm still waiting for you, happy, to get the basic concept that Iranian nukes are for deterrent purposes only, mostly against American agression, in much the same fashion as North Korea. The lesson is simple: stop being such imperialistic pricks and "rogue nations" will stop developing nuclear weapons. Stop thinking you can do whatever you want in the world and the rest of us just have to take and maybe then you won't be hated so much.

This statement is a highly biased gross oversimplification of a complex issue, but just to play along if it comes down to a choice between the US being hated or letting Iran set off a nuke and killings millions of innocent people...

 

[Pasi Nurminen]

So, Pasi, you don't mind other countries having nuclear weapons just so they can stick it to the USA?

I understand that they're trying this simply because of the very real possibility of American agression against them. I understand that a nuclear Iran will not be an agressor in any war with Western countries, nuclear or conventional. For these reasons, I do not fear nor mind a nuclear armed Iran and have no problem with one.

 

[koondrad]

As well, once the weapons are available, will there be an escalation of hostility against the west (since they can hide behind nukes)?

I doubt it really, they're on thin ice already and the US only needs the smallest excuse to go in all guns blazing.

 

[Sahkuhnder]

I understand that they're trying this simply because of the very real possibility of American agression against them. I understand that a nuclear Iran will not be an agressor in any war with Western countries, nuclear or conventional. For these reasons, I do not fear nor mind a nuclear armed Iran and have no problem with one.

Bold by me.


And you know this how? Iran isn't exactly a stable country nor is it known for it's tolerance of other nations or other viewpoints. What about when the next set of Iranian leaders come to power? Who will they be? Will you trust them too? When it comes to nuclear weapons I think erring on the side of caution is a good policy.