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| Iran nuclear operations confirmed | Iran nuclear operations confirmed |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Iran has assembled 1,300 centrifuges at its Natanz nuclear plant and has begun the process of enriching uranium, the UN nuclear watchdog has confirmed. | Iran has assembled 1,300 centrifuges at its Natanz nuclear plant and has begun the process of enriching uranium, the UN nuclear watchdog has confirmed. |
| The International Atomic Energy Agency said eight cascades of centrifuges, the machines that spin uranium gas into enriched material, were now operating. | The International Atomic Energy Agency said eight cascades of centrifuges, the machines that spin uranium gas into enriched material, were now operating. |
| Earlier this month Iran's president said Natanz was ready to enrich uranium on an industrial-scale. | Earlier this month Iran's president said Natanz was ready to enrich uranium on an industrial-scale. |
| The West suspects Iran of seeking atomic weapons, a charge Iran denies. | The West suspects Iran of seeking atomic weapons, a charge Iran denies. |
| Tehran insists its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes only. | Tehran insists its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes only. |
| Inspections continuing | Inspections continuing |
| The confidential three-paragraph letter was written by the deputy director general of the IAEA, Olli Heinonen. | |
| It confirmed the findings of a team of IAEA inspectors who conducted a routine "design information verification" mission to Natanz in the past week. | It confirmed the findings of a team of IAEA inspectors who conducted a routine "design information verification" mission to Natanz in the past week. |
| Those inspectors were informed that Iran was now operating 1,312 centrifuges at Natanz, the letter said. | Those inspectors were informed that Iran was now operating 1,312 centrifuges at Natanz, the letter said. |
| An undefined quantity of uranium gas was being fed into the centrifuges, the letter added. | An undefined quantity of uranium gas was being fed into the centrifuges, the letter added. |
| The disclosure of the inspectors' findings comes after the head of the IAEA, Mohammed ElBaradei, downplayed Iran's claim that it was beginning industrial-scale production. | The disclosure of the inspectors' findings comes after the head of the IAEA, Mohammed ElBaradei, downplayed Iran's claim that it was beginning industrial-scale production. |
| Speaking in Saudi Arabia last week, Mr ElBaradei said Iran would need thousands of centrifuges, but had only hundreds operating at present. | Speaking in Saudi Arabia last week, Mr ElBaradei said Iran would need thousands of centrifuges, but had only hundreds operating at present. |
| He also said that Iran would not be able to produce the highly enriched uranium needed for a nuclear bomb as long as it remained under the supervision of IAEA inspectors. | He also said that Iran would not be able to produce the highly enriched uranium needed for a nuclear bomb as long as it remained under the supervision of IAEA inspectors. |
| The UN Security Council has imposed a package of sanctions on Iran over its refusal to cease enriching uranium, which some Western countries fear could be part of a secret nuclear weapons programme. | The UN Security Council has imposed a package of sanctions on Iran over its refusal to cease enriching uranium, which some Western countries fear could be part of a secret nuclear weapons programme. |