Iran confirms resuming uranium enrichment

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Iran has resumed small-scale enrichment of uranium, a senior Iranian nuclear negotiator said Tuesday, showing the country was determined to proceed with its atomic development despite international moves to restrict it. The deputy secretary of the Supreme National Council, Javad Vaeidi, told reporters that enrichment of uranium resumed last week at Iran's main enrichment plant in Natanz, but denied that large-scale enrichment had been implemented, as required for producing fuel for nuclear reactors, Vaeidi replied: "No." "We need time to have 60,000 centrifuges," he said, referring to the devices used in the enrichment process. "According to the presidential order [last week], and to the law passed by the parliament [last year], the order of resumption of uranium enrichment was issued," Vaeidi told the press conference.