Kriyenko doubts that Iran has started industrial uranium production

12.04.2007 // RIA Novosti

Rosatom doubts that Iran has started industrial uranium production, says the head of Rosatom Sergey Kiriyenko

“We are concerned over this situation. Iran says that it is increasing the number of its centrifuges. Can we actually qualify this as industrial production? Honestly speaking, our experts think that we can’t,” Kiriyenko said during a press-conference in Tokyo.

On Apr 9 Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that Iran is transiting from uranium enrichment research to nuclear fuel production. He also said that his country may secede from the Treaty on Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

Kiriyenko said that for starting industrial uranium production one should not only have sufficient number of centrifuges but should also be able to set them working. This is a difficult and complex process, Kiriyenko noted.

He admitted that, in any case, Rosatom takes these statements and actions seriously. He believes that it is necessary to wait for IAEA’s comments.

Kiriyenko noted that this question is within the competence of the UN Security Council. As regards Russia, it has not changed its position on the issue. “We strongly object to nuclear weapon production in Iran but we believe that this problem should be resolved by diplomatic means,” Kiriyenko said.

In its turn, Iran assures that its nuclear program is exclusively peaceful. On Monday Ahmadinejad said that Iran has made no single deviation from its peaceful nuclear program. He noted that his country will not yield to the pressure of the world community and will continue the program.