Iran lagging in enrichment plan

Iran is lagging on equipping a bunker with centrifuges that will enrich uranium closer to weapons-grade but plans to boost output by using more machines than originally planned,  Associated Press reported.

The diplomats say Iranian officials recently told the International Atomic Energy Agency half of the approximately 3,000 centrifuges to be installed at the underground Fordow site will churn out uranium enriched to near 20 percent.

The rest, they said, will produce less sensitive low-enriched material at around 3.5 percent. Iran’s higher-grade enrichment efforts are of particular concern because material at 20 percent enrichment can be turned into fissile warhead material much more quickly than that at 3.5 percent.

The diplomats said no centrifuges had been installed by July 23, the last time that IAEA experts inspected the site, indicating that Tehran was behind on plans to set up the machines by the end of July. Still, the diplomats said, preparations were well under way, with most electrical wiring, pipe work and other preliminary installations completed.

The reason for the delay was unclear. One of two diplomats who discussed confidential information on condition of anonymity suggested it could reflect temporary technical problems with expanding production of higher-enriched material.


/APA/