IAEA's ElBaradei discredits Iran's nuclear claims

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IAEA's ElBaradei discredits Iran's nuclear claims

 RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Iran is still only operating several hundred centrifuges at its uranium enrichment plant at Natanz, despite its claims to have activated 3,000 of the devices, the head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency said Thursday.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced earlier this week that the Natanz facility had begun "industrial-scale" production....

...But Mohammed ElBaradei, head of the U.N.'s International Atomic Energy Agency, played down the extent of Iran's progress at Natanz.

"Iran is still just at the beginning stages in setting up its Natanz enrichment facility. The talk of building a facility with 50,000 centrifuges is just at the beginning, and it is (currently) only in the hundreds," ElBaradei told reporters in the Saudi capital, Riyadh.

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IAEA's ElBaradei discredits Iran's nuclear claims

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ElBaradei confirmed that IAEA inspectors were in Iran....."Since uranium is being enriched under the supervision of the IAEA, this means Iran cannot enrich uranium to the scale that would raise concerns on its use for weapons," he said.

......ElBaradei said it would take years for Iran to develop nuclear weapons. Tehran says its nuclear program is peaceful.

"The risk from Iran is not of tomorrow or after tomorrow, we have to understand this. Even those who believe Iran's goal is to produce nuclear weapons, believe this will not happen for years," ElBaradei said.

"The risk is linked to the future possibilities in Iran's intentions, and this will require a global solution for regional security."

Iran at starting stage of nuke enrichment: ElBaradei

If a million people believe a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing. ~ Anatole France

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Iran Balking At IAEA Demands
By Staff
Apr 11, 2007

Iranian officials are resisting calls by the International Atomic Energy Agency to install monitoring cameras in an underground uranium enrichment facility.

The U.N. agency has told Tehran the surveillance was required at the facility in Natanz before uranium is loaded into centrifuges, and on Tuesday two IAEA inspectors arrived in Tehran to press the demand.

However, since the U.S. Security Council imposed sanctions on the country, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad have repeatedly said Iran would reduce its cooperation with the IAEA.

Iran Balking At IAEA Demands

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NATO chief says concerned over Iran's missile threat to Europe

Published: 04.12.07, 13:43 / Israel News

NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said Thursday he was concerned by the potential threat of Iranian missiles to Europe.

"Iran's efforts to acquire nuclear capabilities create big concerns for the international community....We should not ignore that Iran has tested missile with a range of 1,800 kilometers

NATO chief says concerned over Iran's missile threat to Europe

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GCC has right to N-energy: ElBaradei

Published: Friday, 13 April, 2007, 01:01 PM Doha Time

RIYADH: The head of the UN atomic watchdog said yesterday that the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) has the right to develop nuclear energy for peaceful ends.

“It is a natural right for the GCC countries to possess nuclear energy in order to use it for peaceful purposes,” said the head of the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency, Mohamed ElBaradei.

“There are some 150 countries which use nuclear energy,” he told a joint news conference in Riyadh with GCC chief Abdulrahman al-Attiyah.

During their annual meeting in Riyadh last December, GCC heads of state announced their determination to develop a joint nuclear technology programme for peaceful use under international rules.

GCC has right to N-energy: ElBaradei