This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/middle_east/7991282.stm
The article has changed 10 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 6 | Version 7 |
|---|---|
| Iran opens nuclear fuel facility | Iran opens nuclear fuel facility |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Iran's president has opened the country's first nuclear fuel production plant, making what correspondents say was a defiant speech. | Iran's president has opened the country's first nuclear fuel production plant, making what correspondents say was a defiant speech. |
| President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Iran was open to an offer of fresh talks with world powers, but only if they were based on "justice" and "respect". | President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Iran was open to an offer of fresh talks with world powers, but only if they were based on "justice" and "respect". |
| He also announced progress on a new generation of centrifuges. | He also announced progress on a new generation of centrifuges. |
| Iran denies Western claims it aims to build a nuclear bomb, saying its nuclear programme is for peaceful ends. | Iran denies Western claims it aims to build a nuclear bomb, saying its nuclear programme is for peaceful ends. |
| The BBC's Jon Leyne in Tehran says it is the president's defiant political message that is the most significant move of the day. | The BBC's Jon Leyne in Tehran says it is the president's defiant political message that is the most significant move of the day. |
| Mr Ahmadinejad made it clear he did not see any change in US policy towards Iran, and therefore offered nothing in return, our correspondent says. | Mr Ahmadinejad made it clear he did not see any change in US policy towards Iran, and therefore offered nothing in return, our correspondent says. |
| Instead he told his audience that pushing ahead with the nuclear programme was the only way for Iran to achieve the status in the world that it deserved. | Instead he told his audience that pushing ahead with the nuclear programme was the only way for Iran to achieve the status in the world that it deserved. |
| While most international attention is focused on Iran's uranium enrichment activities, the inauguration of the new plant in Isfahan shifts attention to a parallel programme that also has outside observers worried, BBC diplomatic correspondent Jonathan Marcus reports. | |
| Once it is fully operational it could produce sufficient plutonium for two nuclear weapons a year, should Iran choose to separate the plutonium from the reactor's spent fuel, he says. | Once it is fully operational it could produce sufficient plutonium for two nuclear weapons a year, should Iran choose to separate the plutonium from the reactor's spent fuel, he says. |
| 'Careful engagement' | 'Careful engagement' |
| The newly-opened plant will produce pellets of uranium oxide that could be used to fuel a heavy-water reactor in Arak expected to be completed some time between 2011 and 2013. | The newly-opened plant will produce pellets of uranium oxide that could be used to fuel a heavy-water reactor in Arak expected to be completed some time between 2011 and 2013. |
| It signals Iran has reached the final stage in the nuclear fuel cycle, analysts say. | It signals Iran has reached the final stage in the nuclear fuel cycle, analysts say. |
| The Iranian nation has from the beginning been after logic and negotiations Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad | The Iranian nation has from the beginning been after logic and negotiations Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad |
| In a speech from Isfahan, Mr Ahmadinejad said Iran had tested two new types of centrifuge with higher capacities at a uranium enrichment plant in Natanz. | In a speech from Isfahan, Mr Ahmadinejad said Iran had tested two new types of centrifuge with higher capacities at a uranium enrichment plant in Natanz. |
| Meanwhile, nuclear chief Gholam Reza Aghazadeh said Iran has increased the number of centrifuges it is running at the plant to 7,000. In February, Iran said it had 6,000 centrifuges running. | Meanwhile, nuclear chief Gholam Reza Aghazadeh said Iran has increased the number of centrifuges it is running at the plant to 7,000. In February, Iran said it had 6,000 centrifuges running. |
| If verified that would be a significant step forward, Jon Leyne reports, though the last report from international inspectors said Iran had less than 4,000 working centrifuges. | If verified that would be a significant step forward, Jon Leyne reports, though the last report from international inspectors said Iran had less than 4,000 working centrifuges. |
| The move came as Tehran considered an offer by six world powers, including the United States, to take part in fresh talks on the crisis. | The move came as Tehran considered an offer by six world powers, including the United States, to take part in fresh talks on the crisis. |
| "The Iranian nation has from the beginning been after logic and negotiations, but negotiations based on justice and complete respect for rights and regulations," Mr Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying on Thursday. | "The Iranian nation has from the beginning been after logic and negotiations, but negotiations based on justice and complete respect for rights and regulations," Mr Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying on Thursday. |
| "One-sided negotiations, conditional negotiations, negotiations in an atmosphere of threat are not something that any free person would accept," he said. | "One-sided negotiations, conditional negotiations, negotiations in an atmosphere of threat are not something that any free person would accept," he said. |
| Russia and China - trading partners of Iran - have urged Tehran to accept the invitation. | Russia and China - trading partners of Iran - have urged Tehran to accept the invitation. |
| Iran needs to "convince us all of the exclusively peaceful character of its nuclear programme", Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said. | Iran needs to "convince us all of the exclusively peaceful character of its nuclear programme", Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said. |
| On Wednesday, the five permanent UN Security Council members and Germany said they would ask EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana to approach Iran with the talks offer. | On Wednesday, the five permanent UN Security Council members and Germany said they would ask EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana to approach Iran with the talks offer. |
| In a statement, they said they "strongly urge Iran to take advantage of this opportunity to engage seriously with all of us in a spirit of mutual respect". | In a statement, they said they "strongly urge Iran to take advantage of this opportunity to engage seriously with all of us in a spirit of mutual respect". |
| Signalling a policy shift, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the US would be a "full participant" in talks. | Signalling a policy shift, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the US would be a "full participant" in talks. |
| "Obviously we believe that pursuing very careful engagement on a range of issues that affect our interests and the interests of the world with Iran makes senses," she said. | "Obviously we believe that pursuing very careful engagement on a range of issues that affect our interests and the interests of the world with Iran makes senses," she said. |
| "There is nothing more important than trying to convince Iran to cease its efforts to obtain a nuclear weapon." | "There is nothing more important than trying to convince Iran to cease its efforts to obtain a nuclear weapon." |
| China's foreign ministry spokeswoman, Jiang Yu, said on Thursday that Beijing was "glad to see an improvement in relations between the United States and Iran". | |
| It is not clear whether the inauguration of the nuclear fuel facility will affect the offer. | It is not clear whether the inauguration of the nuclear fuel facility will affect the offer. |