The Islamic Republic of Iran asserts that it plans a nearly 10-fold expansion of its uranium enrichment capacity in the next five years.

"Iran will install 50,000 centrifuges to enrich uranium at its Natanz plant up from the 6,000 now running. Iran in the immediate future will install the new generation of centrifuges which are technologically more advanced than the operating ones," Head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization (IAEO) Gholam Reza Aqazadeh said.
 

Head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization (IAEO) Gholam Reza Aqazadeh (R) and head of Russia's federal nuclear agency, Sergei Kiriyenko.

He made the comments in a joint press conference with the head of Russia's Federal Nuclear Agency, Sergei Kiriyenko in Bushehr on the eve of the pre-commissioning stage of Iran's first nuclear power plant.

"Our plans to install and run centrifuges do not depend on political conditions. Iran will not make any major changes in its projects in Natanz. We have neither slowed down nor stepped up our work there," Aqazadeh added.

The Iranian nuclear official also called on the West "to face reality and accept living with a nuclear Iran."

"Even if the West declines to recognize this fact, Iran will pursue its nuclear plans. The acceptance of a nuclear Iran will allow them better access to the country's nuclear market," he said.

Aqazadeh meanwhile announced that Iran and Russia will establish a joint nuclear firm one year after the inauguration of the Bushehr nuclear power plant.

"According to the agreement, the Russian firm will run the Bushehr power plant for one year. The Russian side will inaugurate and run the power plant for one year during which it will transfer the technology to the Iranian side," he continued.

The head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization said that Iran intends to build a 360mw Darkhoein nuclear power plant south of the country and the project has made some progress.

Russia has been constructing Iran's first nuclear power plant and it has delivered the first shipment of nuclear fuel to Iran. The move however has irked the US and its allies who accuse the Islamic Republic of developing nuclear arms.
 

The West argues that Iran has sufficient oil and gas reserves for power generation and that it therefore needs no nuclear reactors.

However, Kiriyenko said Russia believes that under the supervision of the UN nuclear watchdog and while observing the non-proliferation rules any country can avail itself of the peaceful use of nuclear energy.

"We believe that the structure in the Bushehr plant itself is in total conformity with the Non-Proliferation," said the Russian official.

He added that Russia's cooperation in building the Bushehr plant removes every doubt about Iran's nuclear intentions, as the whole project is transparent in its entirety.

"Anyone who thinks this project can be used for the proliferation of nuclear weapons can come here and see for themselves."

The start-up of the Bushehr plant is considered as a leap forward in Iran's efforts in developing nuclear technology, which the country insists it intends to use for peaceful purposes.

On the first day of the test run of the plant in the southwestern city of Bushehr Aqazadeh said the power plant would become operational in nearly seven months.

Without providing an exact timetable, the Iranian official said if the test stage goes "smoothly", the plant would become operational "sooner".

... Payvand News - 02/26/09 ... --