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Iran begins uranium enrichment research

LONDON, February 1 (IranMania) - Iran has told the International Atomic Energy Agency that it has begun research relating to enriching uranium, a crucial fuel process that can also be used to making nuclear bombs, the IAEA said in a report.

"Iran has started what it refers to as 'small-scale R&D'," the IAEA said in a confidential report obtained by AFP.

A senior official close to the IAEA said the research involves "quality control kind of things" as Iran prepares a pilot centrifuge plant to begin actual enrichment, AFP added.

The work began after Iran removed seals on enrichment equipment and supplies on January 10, in defiance of an agreement with the European Union to suspend all nuclear fuel work.

"Substantial renovation of the gas handling system is underway" at a pilot enrichment plant in Natanz, the report said, referring to uranium gas that is fed into centrifuges to enrich uranium.

"Quality control of components and some rotor testing is being conducted" at Natanz and another site, Farayand Technique, the report said.

The IAEA said it can no longer monitor Iranian work since its seals were removed.

"Due to the fact that all centrifuge-related raw materials and components are without IAEA seals, the agency's supervision of the R&D activities being carried out by Iran cannot be effective except at PFEP (the pilot centrifuge plant), where containment and surveillance measures are being applied for the enrichment process," the report said.

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