Iran enriches uranium for first time
Iran has successfully enriched uranium for the first time, a landmark in its quest to develop nuclear fuel, hard-liner President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said today, insisting his country does not aim to develop nuclear weapons.
Speaking in a nationally televised speech, Ahmadinejad called on the West “not to cause an everlasting hatred in the hearts of Iranians” by trying to force Iran to abandon uranium enrichment.
The UN Security Council has demanded that Iran stop all uranium enrichment activity by April 28.
Iran has rejected the demand, saying it has a right to develop the process.
The head of the UN nuclear watchdog agency, Mohamed ElBaradei, is due in Iran this week for talks to try to resolve the stand-off.
“At this historic moment, with the blessings of God Almighty and the efforts made by our scientists, I declare here that the laboratory-scale nuclear fuel cycle has been completed and young scientists produced enriched uranium needed to the degree for nuclear power plants on Sunday,” Ahmadinejad said.
“I formally declare that Iran has joined the club of nuclear countries,” he told an audience that included top military commanders and clerics in the north-western holy city of Mashhad.
The crowd broke into cheers of “Allahu akbar,” or “God is great,” with some standing and thrusting their fists in the air.
Ahmadinejad said Iran “relies on the sublime beliefs that lie within the Iranian and Islamic culture.
“Our nation does not get its strength from nuclear arsenals.”
He said Iran wanted to operate its nuclear program under supervision by the International Atomic Energy Agency and within its rights and regulations under the regulations of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
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