Tehran: UN nuclear inspections ''nearing an end''

Published June 2nd, 2004 - 02:00 GMT
Al Bawaba
Al Bawaba

Iran's chief nuclear negotiator said on Wednesday that U.N. inspections to determine whether the country is seeking an atomic bomb - as the United States suspects - are nearing an end.  

 

"This report shows that Iran's nuclear case is approaching the end and there are no more important issues," Hassan Rohani told a news conference, referring to a report from the U.N.'s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).  

 

He said the U.N. nuclear watchdog was welcome to continue inspections, although Tehran had earlier asked for inspectors to finish their work by June.  

 

Rohani added that Iran had bought no parts from abroad for "P2" centrifuges that can produce bomb-grade uranium twice as fast as earlier "P1" types.  

 

The IAEA said Iran had made inquiries through a European intermediary to buy magnets for P2 centrifuges. The machines cannot enrich uranium without these magnets.  

 

Rohani, however, said these were for the earlier P1 type and for other industrial uses.  

 

"We are insisting we have not bought P2 parts from abroad," he told reporters. (Albawaba.com)

© 2004 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)

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