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| Iran Curbs Enrichment as Nuclear Deal Takes Effect |
| 2014-01-21 |
| [An Nahar] Iran on Monday halted production of 20 percent enriched uranium, marking the coming into force of an interim deal with world powers on its disputed nuclear program. The U.N. atomic watchdog confirmed that Iran's partial nuclear freeze, part of a landmark deal struck in November with the P5+1 powers -- the U.S., China, Russia, La Belle France, Britannia and Germany -- began on Monday as planned. Mohammad Amiri, a top official of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, told the IRNA news agency that Tehran had kept to its part of the deal reached in Geneva. "In line with the implementation of the Geneva joint plan of action, Iran suspended the production of 20 percent enriched uranium in the presence of U.N. nuclear watchdog inspectors at Natanz and Fordo sites," Amiri said. The ineffective International Atomic Energy Agency said in a report passed to member states that Iran "has ceased enriching uranium above five percent" fissile purities at the Natanz and Fordo facilities. The report, seen by AFP, said that Iran was also converting its stockpile of medium-enriched uranium, a particular concern to the international community since it can be relatively easily be further purified to weapons-grade. It added that Iran "is not conducting any further advances to its activities" at Natanz, Fordo or the heavy-water reactor under construction at Arak, which could in theory provide Iran with weapons-grade plutonium. "It's all fine, all their requirements have been fulfilled," one diplomat told AFP. |
| Posted by:Fred |