Iran Religious Leader: Tehran to Enrich Own High-Grade Uranium if No Deal

Ahmad Khatami - a senior Iranian cleric says Iran will produce its own uranium fuel if there is no deal with the United Nations Atomic Energy Agency. The cleric's comments came in reaction to an IAEA resolution adopted on Friday demanding that Iran halt construction of a new uranium enrichment facility. Iran's top nuclear negotiator is also insisting that Tehran will not stop enriching uranium.

Amid loud acclamations of approval, top hardline Iranian cleric, Hojatoleslam Ahmad Khatami warned the West that Tehran will produce its own high-grade uranium for a medical research reactor, if the UN International Atomic Energy Agency refuses to provide the fuel.

Khatami insisted that the IAEA is required to supply the fuel, despite reservations by the West.

Hojatoleslam says IAEA regulations stipulate that the agency provide the fuel for Iran's medical reactor in Tehran. He says if the agency gives Iran the fuel, the matter is settled. Otherwise, he warns, the great Iranian nation which has developed its own nuclear technology will produce the fuel by using its own know-how.

The Iranian cleric said the IAEA resolution passed Friday is a "political, rather than a technical" move.

Iran's top nuclear negotiator, Ambassador Ali Asghar Soltanieh, said Tehran would not stop enriching uranium, but it would still cooperate to some extent with the IAEA.

"The answer to this [IAEA] resolution is definitely no," he said. "We are not going to suspend our enrichment activities. We are not going to suspend the completion of the Fordoo nuclear enrichment activities. But, at the same time, we are continuing cooperating with the agency, and all these activities will be under the IAEA safeguard, but only within the framework of the NPT."

Soltanieh also argued that Tehran would refrain from what he described as Iran's voluntary cooperation gestures towards the IAEA after Friday's resolution.

"They have been discouraged by this resolution Iran to take voluntary steps that we have taken in many occasions in the past, particularly the recent ones, when the [IAEA] director general [Mohammed al-Baradei] was in Iran," he said. "In fact, we took voluntary steps informing them about these new sites. (Iran's new nuclear enrichment site at) Fordoo was among these volunteer natures, because we should not have informed at this juncture. In fact, we have 18 months ahead of what we are obliged to. Therefore, we would not be committed to any of this."

A hardline Iranian member of parliament, Mohammed Karamirad, warned Saturday that Tehran could pull out of negotiations with the International Atomic Energy Agency or stop it from inspecting Iran's nuclear facilities.

Uranium enrichment is the process used to make fuel for nuclear power plants, but when extended it can also produce fissile material for an atomic bomb.

Friday's IAEA resolution criticized Tehran for building the secret nuclear enrichment plant at Fordoo, which it disclosed in September, and demanded that it cease construction on the plant immediately. Tehran was also summoned to disclose any other secret nuclear activities.

The IAEA resolution, which garnered the approval of 25 of the agency's 35 governing board members, including China and Russia, was the first taken against Iran since 2006. (Voa-news)

Clinton: World Will Not Wait for Iran

Britain's Foreign Secretary David Miliband, left, looks on as U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton gestures ahead of their meeting at 1 Carlton Gardens in London, Sunday, 11 Oct. 2009

On the second day of her swing through Europe, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton discussed a wide range of pressing international issues at her stop in London.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton began the British leg of her trip with a meeting with British Foreign Secretary David Miliband.

Afterwards, the two held a joint news conference.

On Iran, Miliband said the time was right for the country to move in a new direction.

"Iran will never have a better opportunity to establish normal relations with the international community and it will never have a better opportunity than to show that the peaceful intent that marks its words about its nuclear program is matched by its deeds," Miliband said.

Later this month, U.N. inspectors expect to see the recently disclosed uranium enrichment facility near the city of Qom and more talks are planned for Geneva.

Secretary of State Clinton said the United States and others are willing to listen to Iran, but she warned that patience will not last forever and she urged the Iranians to make constructive inroads soon.

"We are speaking with a single voice and delivering a clear message to Iran," Clinton said. "The international community will not wait indefinitely for evidence that Iran is prepared to live up to its international obligations."

On Afghanistan, Miliband said Britain was closely watching the strategy review the U.S. administration is currently going through and how that might impact upon the British effort there.

"There are big decisions ahead, above all for the new Afghan government which will be formed in the next few weeks, but there are also decisions for the whole of the coalition led by the United States," Miliband said.

Clinton said whatever path was taken out of the strategic review, the United States would be there to support Afghanistan.

"We are committed to Afghanistan," Clinton said. "We are very clear that the conjunction of al-Qaida and elements of the Taliban and other extremists pose a direct threat to our two countries and really to the world."

Asked about the attack and the hostage drama that unfolded over the weekend at a Pakistani military complex near the capital, Clinton responded it was a difficult time for the country but she stressed that the authorities there were firmly in control.

British PM Gordon Brown greets US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, 11 Oct 2009

"We have confidence in the Pakistani government and military's control over nuclear weapons," Clinton said. "The recent attack at Rawalpindi that went right at a military installation is another reminder that the extremists in Pakistan, whatever their titles or whatever their affiliation are increasingly threatening the authority of the state but we see no evidence that they are going to take over the state."

The Secretary of State then met with Prime Minister Gordon Brown before flying off for further discussions in Dublin and Belfast.

(VoaNews
By Tom Rivers
London
11 October 2009)