Ahmadinejad Orders Higher Enrichment of Uranium

During a news conference on Sunday at the opening of a laser technology exhibition in the capital, Tehran, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Sunday ordered his country's atomic agency to begin the production of higher enriched uranium. The move is likely to deepen international scepticism about the country's real intentions on the crucial issue of enriched uranium. In comments broadcast on state television, the president told the head of Iran's atomic energy agency, Ali Akbar Salehi, to "begin production of 20 per cent" enriched uranium. He, however, did not give a date for the start of the enrichment process. Producing enriched uranium is the international community's core concern over Iran's disputed nuclear programme since it can be used to make nuclear weapons. Iran says its programme is for peaceful purposes. Iran and the West have been discussing a UN plan under which Iran would export its low-enriched uranium for enrichment abroad. The plan, which comes from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), was first drawn up in early October in a meeting in Geneva between Iran and the six world powers. It was refined later that month in Vienna talks among Iran, the US, Russia and France.