Iran admits to having second enrichment plant: IAEA



VIENNA- Iran has informed the UN atomic watchdog that it is building a second uranium enrichment plant, the International Atomic Energy Agency said Friday.
"On September 21, Iran informed the IAEA in a letter that a new pilot fuel enrichment plant is under construction in the country," the watchdog's spokesman Marc Vidricaire said in a statement.
"Iran assured the agency in the letter that 'further complementary information will be provided in an appropriate and due time'," Vidricaire said.



"In response, the IAEA has requested Iran to provide specific information and access to the facility as soon as possible. This will allow the agency to assess safeguards verification requirements for the facility."
So far, Iran has only had one uranium enrichment plant in operation, in Natanz.
"The letter stated that the enrichment level would be up to 5.0 percent," which is a low level of enrichment and not a sufficiently high to make the fissile material for an atomic bomb.
Low enriched uranium is used to make nuclear fuel.
"The agency also understands from Iran that no nuclear material has been introduced into the facility," the statement added.
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Friday, September 25th 2009
AFP
           


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