ISFAHAN, Iran, 9 August 2005 — Iran put itself on a collision course with the West yesterday after it resumed ultra-sensitive nuclear fuel work at its uranium conversion plant in Isfahan despite warnings from the international community. “Iran has resumed the conversion of uranium under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency,” declared the Vice President of Iran’s Atomic Energy Agency Mohammad Saidi.
The announcement drew a swift response from archenemy the United States, which accuses Iran of seeking to build nuclear weapons and has long sought its referral to the United Nations Security Council for possible sanctions.
A State Department official said the United States considers reports that Iran has restarted nuclear activities “unfortunate” and would expect Tehran to be taken before the United Nations.
“If, in fact, they have just taken measures to restart uranium conversion, ... it would be unfortunate,” the US official said, adding that he expected a board meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) today to take “appropriate action.”
Iran’s action follows its rejection last week as “unacceptable” a package of EU proposals aimed at guaranteeing that its nuclear program is purely peaceful. Tehran insists that it has the right to nuclear technology for energy purposes under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
The EU, which has been negotiating with Iran for nine months, had already called for an emergency meeting today of the IAEA board during which an ultimatum demanding a commitment to suspend nuclear fuel work is expected.
“The decision is irreversible even if the board decides to send the Iran dossier to the Security Council because (the international demand for a suspension) has no legal basis and is contrary to the NPT,” Saidi told journalists.
IAEA inspectors installed security cameras to monitor the initial conversion process and an AFP correspondent saw technicians in protective clothing opening a barrel of yellowcake.
A US official said Iran’s move was “unfortunate. “We’ve said all along that should Iran break the seals and restart uranium enrichment at Isfahan or anywhere else, we would think an appropriate response would be a referral to the United Nations.”
The crisis has escalated since Iran’s new President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad took office last week, with the new leader yesterday putting a fellow hard-liner in charge of the nuclear dossier.
A government spokesman said Ali Larijani, a former boss of state-run media who has distinguished himself by his intransigency over Iran’s nuclear ambitions, would soon take up the post.
