I would not be surprised if this is, at least, part of the reason more
troops are being sent to Iraq.

And yet another reason why the UN is worthless!

=====================================

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,165276,00.html

U.N. Removes Seals at Iran Nuke Site

Wednesday, August 10, 2005

ISFAHAN, Iran - U.N. inspectors removed the final seals from equipment at a
uranium (search) conversion plant in central Iran on Wednesday, paving the
way for Tehran to fully open the facility despite U.S. and European calls
for it to maintain a suspension.

In Vienna, Austria, diplomats with the International Atomic Energy Agency
(search) were discussing how to persuade Iran to step back from its nuclear
activities and de-escalate its standoff with the West over U.S. allegations
that it secretly plans to build atomic bombs.

But the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, Gholamreza
Aghazadeh, made clear that Iran would not be deterred from developing its
nuclear program, which it says is for peaceful purposes.

Iran began work at the Uranium Conversion Facility in Isfahan, 255 miles
south of Tehran (search), on Monday, but some key units at the facility
remained under seal by the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency since a November
suspension in activity as part of negotiations.

The agency confirmed that its seals at the plant were broken Wednesday, as
it postponed a meeting so diplomats could seek consensus over how to rebuke
Iran for resuming activities that could lead to an atomic weapon.

The agency said it had a surveillance system in place at the facility to
keep tabs on the work.

Washington suspects Tehran of having a clandestine nuclear weapons program,
and President Bush said Tuesday he was "deeply suspicious" 
about Iran's intentions. But there appeared to be little stomach at the IAEA
meeting in Vienna for referring the issue to the U.N. Security Council,
which could impose punitive sanctions.

In conversion, yellowcake is turned into UF-6 gas. In the next stage of the
process - which Iran has said it will not resume for the time being - the
gas is fed in centrifuges for enrichment. Uranium enriched to a low level is
used to produce nuclear fuel; further enrichment makes it suitable for use
in an atomic bomb.

Last week, Britain, France and Germany, which are negotiating with Iran on
behalf of the European Union, offered Iran a package of aid measures and
support for a civilian nuclear program in exchange for Iran's promising to
abandon enrichment.

Iran rejected the package, insisting that as a signatory to the Nuclear
Nonproliferation Treaty it has the right to enrich uranium. President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said the proposals were an "insult" to the Islamic
Republic.

The German and French governments warned Iran that if it did not reconsider
its rejection, the IAEA was likely to refer the country to the U.N. Security
Council, which could impose sanctions.

But the draft resolution before the IAEA's 35-nation board of governors in
Vienna does not mention the Security Council. Written by Britain, France and
Germany, the text expresses "serious concern" about the resumption of
conversion in Isfahan and urges Iran to cooperate by "re-establishing full
suspension of all enrichment-related activities."

The IAEA canceled a session tentatively planned for Wednesday afternoon,
signaling disagreement over the wording. Diplomats were expected to continue
negotiations privately on a resolution urging Iran to suspend its latest
nuclear activities.

"They need more time," IAEA spokesman Peter Rickwood said.

Iran has said it would rather be referred to the Security Council rather
than give up its right to control the entire cycle of nuclear fuel - from
mining uranium to enriching it.

Iran suspended enrichment and related activities, such as conversion, in
October 2003 to build trust while negotiations with the Europeans proceeded.
But it has expressed frustration with the talks, and has been threatening
for weeks to resume parts of its enrichment program.

The United States says Iran seeks to develop nuclear weapons, but Iran
denies this, saying its nuclear program is only for producing electricity.




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