Iran expands nuke technology

May 22, 2013 @ 8:54 am


Herman Nackaerts, left, Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, shakes hands with Iran's Ambassador to the IAEA, Ali Asghar Soltanieh, after their talks at the permanent mission of Iran in Vienna, Austria, Wednesday, May 15, 2013. U.N. nuclear agency officials are meeting with Iranian counterparts in a renewed attempt by the agency to re-launch its probe of suspicions that Tehran might have worked on atomic arms. (AP Photo/Ronald Zak) | Zoom

VIENNA (AP) - The U.N.'s atomic agency says Iran is moving ahead to update a program the West fears could be used to make nuclear weapons.

An International Atomic Energy Agency report says Tehran has installed close to 700 high-tech centrifuges in an upgrade of its uranium enrichment program since the start of the year.

That represents an increase of about 100 since mid-April, when diplomats told The Associated Press that Iran was rapidly installing the equipment.

Tehran says it is enriching uranium only for peaceful uses. But the U.S. and its allies fear it may enrich to levels used for nuclear bombs.

The confidential report was issued Wednesday to the Security Council and the IAEA's 35 nation board. It was obtained by The Associated Press.


(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
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