Iran Strikes a Combative Stance on Resuming Nuclear Activity

The New York Times:

Published: August 9, 2005

By THOMAS FULLER

VIENNA, Aug. 9 - Iran today rejected calls by European governments to cease its uranium conversion process, striking a combative tone at an emergency meeting here called to address the resumption of its nuclear program.

"The operation in Isfahan will continue," Sirus Naser, Iran's chief delegate to the International Atomic Energy Agency, told reporters after an extraordinary sitting of the agency's governing board.

"There is no reason to suspend this activity," he said.

Diplomats from the 35 countries represented on the governing board sought consensus on a resolution condemning Iran's move to restart its process of converting uranium into nuclear fuel. But the board, which includes countries as diverse as Malaysia, Britain, India, Yemen, Slovakia and the United States, was divided, diplomats said.

An early draft of a resolution obtained by The Associated Press expressed "serious concern" about the resumption of conversion in Isfahan and urged Iran to cooperate by "re-establishing full suspension of all enrichment-related activities."

The specific process that Iran restarted on Monday is the first step in a lengthy process to convert uranium into nuclear fuel and is used both for civilian and military purposes.

Iran says it will use the materials for its program to generate electricity through nuclear power.

Despite threats from European leaders to refer the case to the United Nations Security Council, negotiators here said such a move was not on the table today but could be considered in the coming weeks.

Non-aligned countries, represented by Malaysia, made a joint statement at the talks, affirming the "basic and inalienable right of all member states to develop atomic energy for peaceful purposes."

By contrast, the leader of the American delegation, Greg Schulte, said the United States shared its European allies' "deep concern about the course Iran is taking." "Iran must not be allowed to violate its international commitments and must not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons," Mr. Schulte said.

Asked for his reaction, Mr. Naser, the head of the Iranian delegation, issued a biting retort.

"Today is the commemoration of the bombing of Nagasaki," he told reporters. "The United States is the sole nuclear weapons state which had the guts to drop a bomb to kill and maim and turn into ashes millions in a split second. The United States is no position whatsoever to tell anyone and to preach anyone as to what they should or should not do in their nuclear program."

In Tehran, Iran's president, Mahmoudi Ahmadinejad, made similarly strong comments, calling treatment of uranium "our right," according to the ISNA news agency.

Speaking to United Nations secretary general Kofi Annan by telephone, Mr. Ahmadinejad said he would continue negotiations with Britain, France and Germany, the three countries leading a European Union effort to circumscribe Iran's nuclear program.

But Mr. Ahmadinejad repeated rejections of a European package of economic, trade and security incentives for Iran to curtail their nuclear activities.

"What the Europeans sent us is not a proposal but an insult to our people," Mr. Ahmadinejad said. "Their tone is as though Iranian people are a backward nation." President Bush, speaking from his ranch in Texas, said if Iran did not cooperate, United Nations sanctions were "a potential consequence."

"We'll work with our friends on steps forward, on ways to deal with the Iranians if they so choose to ignore the demands of the world," Mr. Bush said.

He added that Mr. Ahmadinejad's statement that he was willing to continue negotiations were a "positive sign."

"If he did say that, I think that's a positive sign that the Iranians are getting a message, that it's not just the United States that's worried about their nuclear programs, but the Europeans are serious in calling the Iranians to account and negotiating," Mr. Bush said.

In Moscow, the Russian Foreign Ministry issued a toughly worked statement that called on Iran to "stop work that has begun on uranium conversion without delay," news services reported.

In France, Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy said it was "still possible to negotiate" with Iran. "We are still holding out our hand," he said, according to Agence France-Presse.

In Germany, Chancellor Gerhard Schröder urged Iran to "look again at its position."

"The overarching goal must be that we can solve this very difficult, worrying conflict peacefully," Mr. Schroeder said. "I don't see any option other than reaching the goals via negotiations."

Separately, an Iranian dissident living in the United States claimed that Iran had manufactured about 4,000 centrifuges capable of enriching uranium for use in weapons.

Alireza Jafarzadeh said in a telephone interview from Washington that the centrifuges were ready to be installed at Iran's nuclear facility in Natanz.

The centrifuges were produced in two different places, he said, including a facility in Isfahan at Malek Ashtar University.

The centrifuges could have civilian applications but the point was that Iran was keeping them secret, he said.

Mr. Jafarzadeh's assertions were initially reported by The Associated Press.

There was no way of independently confirming the allegations. In 2002, Mr. Jafarzadeh disclosed information about two hidden nuclear sites, including Natanz, that led to fears that Iran was developing a nuclear weapon.

Shahin Gobadi, a spokesman for the National Council of Resistance of Iran, a coalition of Iranian opposition groups, said the information about the centrifuges was "based upon the very same sources" as the revelation of the secret facilities.

Melissa Fleming, a spokeswoman for the Inernational Atomic Energy Agency, said: "We've seen that news report and we'll study it. The I.A.E.A. takes all information like this seriously and if it deems it credible inspectors can investigate."