Iran 25

De Independent bericht: 'Iran announces it has joined world's nuclear nations The President of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, said his country had joined the group of nations possessing nuclear technology in a move that is certain to aggravate Tehran's nuclear stand-off with the West. "At this historic moment, with the blessings of God almighty and the efforts made by our scientists, I declare here that the laboratory-scale nuclear fuel cycle has been completed and young scientists produced enriched uranium needed to the degree for nuclear power plants on Sunday," the President said in a nationally-televised address yesterday. Standing on a stage before military officers and clerics in the north-western holy city of Mashhad, he added: "I formally declare that Iran has joined the club of nuclear countries." It is the first time Iran has produced enriched uranium since resuming centrifuge work in February. Even though Iran may still be some way from full industrial production of enriched uranium, the step, if it is confirmed, means the country has crossed a highly significant threshold towards achieving its ambition of harnessing nuclear technology. Iran continues to insist it is pursuing the production of enriched uranium to enable it to begin nuclear power generation. The programme has triggered fears in Western nations, however, that Tehran's true ambition lies in making nuclear weapons.' Lees verder: http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/article357232.ece