Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
(C) waves as he poses with officials outside a nuclear fuel manufacturing
plant during its inauguration ceremony in Isfahan, Iran, on April 9, 2009.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad inaugurated its first nuclear fuel
manufacturing plant here on Thursday.(Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>
ISFAHAN, Iran, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad inaugurated its first nuclear fuel manufacturing plant on
Thursday and disclosed that it was running around 7,000 centrifuges at its
uranium enrichment facility.
Ahmadinejad said that Iran has tested "two new kinds
of centrifuges with capacity several times greater than the existing ones."
An Iranian engineer of the fuel manufacturing plant
told Xinhua that "the totally domestically constructed plant will produce 40
tons of nuclear fuel."
Ten tons of the fuel in the form of pellets would be
sent to Iran's Arak Heavy-Water Site to be utilized in the heavy-water research
reactors, and the rest would be used in the country's Bushehr Power Plant, he
added.
At the same time, Iran's nuclear chief Gholam Reza
Aghazadeh said here on the occasion of Iran's National Nuclear Day that Iran was
running around 7,000 centrifuges at its Natanz uranium enrichment facility.
Photo taken on April 9, 2009 shows
Iran's nuclear fuel manufacturing plant in Isfahan, Iran. Iranian
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad inaugurated its first nuclear fuel
manufacturing plant here on Thursday.(Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>
The country has utilized the new generations of
centrifuges in Natanz establishments, he said.
Iran's nuclear program is questioned by many parties.
The United States and other western countries claim that Iran intends to
secretly develop nuclear weapons, and the UN Security Council also requires Iran
to suspend its uranium enrichment activity.
U.S. President Barack Obama, in his speech before
cheering crowds in Prague, said the United States would present Iran with a
clear choice" to cease its nuclear and ballistic missile activities or face
increased isolation.
"Now, Iran's leaders must choose whether they will
try to build a weapon or build a better future for their people."
Iran, however, insists that its nuclear plan is only
for peaceful purposes, and continues its uranium enrichment activity despite
pressure and sanctions from western countries.
WASHINGTON, April 9 (Xinhua) -- The Obama administration
on Thursday called on Iran to suspend its uranium enrichment program and related
activities, saying direct dialogue would be up to Tehran's willingness and
behavior.
"We've not put any preconditions on having a direct
dialogue with Iran. But our concerns about its nuclear activities remain. They
need to be addressed, and we want to see them addressed," State Department
acting spokesman Robert Wood said at a daily press briefing. Full story
TEHRAN, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Iran's President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad said Thursday his country would welcome the "honest," "fair" talks
based on the mutual "respect."
If some (Westerners) step forth honestly for fair talks
and on the basis of respect, Iranian people would welcome them, Ahmadinejad said
on the occasion of marking the country's National Nuclear Day in the central
city of Isfahan. Full story
ISFAHAN, Iran, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Iran's nuclear chief
Gholam Reza Aghazadeh said Thursday on the occasion of Iran's National Nuclear
Day that Iran is running around 7,000 centrifuges at its Natanz uranium
enrichment facility.
The country has utilized the new generations of
centrifuges in Natanz establishments, he added. Full story
BEIJING, April 9 (Xinhua) --China is glad to see the
United States mending relations with Iran and it supports the resolution of
Iran's nuclear issues via dialogue and negotiations, the Foreign Ministry
announced here Thursday.
"China encourages Iran to make active contact with the
concerned parties in a bid to seek a comprehensive, long-term and proper
solution to Iran's nuclear issue," said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu.
Full story
TEHRAN, April 6 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Parliament Speaker Ali
Larijani called the U.S. leaders "political prowlers," local Press TV website
reported on Monday.
"The conduct of the U.S. leaders resembles that of
political prowlers. Violations of human rights, widespread dictatorship, and
financial havoc are the main symptoms of their behavior," Larijani was quoted as
saying. Full story
