FM: West should provide Iran with nuclear fuel

Iran will continue producing 20-percent enriched uranium until the West refuses to supply fuel to the Tehran research reactor (TRR), Iranian Foreign Ministry's spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast told journalists at a weekly briefing on Tuesday, IRINN reported.

Mehmanparast was commenting on President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's statement in New-York.

On Sept. 23, Ahmadinejad said Iran will not have to enrich uranium to 20 percent purity if the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) supplies the TRR with fuel.

"The 20 percent-enriched uranium is required to fuel the TRR," Mehmanparast said. "Cessation of the TRR's operation will pose a threat to the lives of thousands of people. Furthermore, the production of 20-percent uranium is unprofitable for Iran. Therefore, we have repeatedly said we need this fuel and the IAEA should provide us with it as Iran is a full member of the Agency".

However, the West has not fulfilled its obligations, and Iran is forced to produce the fuel domestically, he added.

Mehmanparast noted that the newly operated Fordo plant will speed up the fuel production.

In June, Head of Iran' Atomic Energy Organization Fereydoun Abbasi-Davani announced that Iran is going to install 164-centrifuge cascades of new generation soon and to triple the production of 20-percent enriched uranium. The centrifuges would be installed both in Fordo and Natanz nuclear facilities.


/Trend/