Tehran-world powers disagree on Iran’s advanced centrifuges

Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) said Iran’s advanced home-made centrifuges have been a bone of contention in the Thursday and Friday talks between the Iranian and EU negotiators. “There were one or two issues for which the experts had gone to Geneva, and one of them which was raised by the other side was the advanced centrifuges" whose possession and running  is the indispensable right of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Salehi expressed the confidence that Iran and the Group 5+1 (the US, Russia, China, Britain and France plus Germany) would eventually reach an agreement on this issue, but said raising such an issue is not logical and wise and questions the West’s respect for human rights since it means that “they expect us not to think”. He hoped that the differences between Iran and the world powers would be settled, and said, “Our position is very good now; we carry out enrichment, and continue our discoveries and nuclear technology applications (for different peaceful purposes).” Salehi said one of the good points of the Geneva deal for Iran pertains to its freedom in nuclear research and development, reminding that the agreement entitles Tehran to continue its R&D in the field without any limitation. He also added that the deal would go into effect late in January. In relevant remarks earlier this month, Salehi underlined that the eye-catching progress that Iran's nuclear experts have made in the past years has enabled the country to be among the rare manufacturers of modern centrifuges in the world. “There is nothing impossible for Iran in producing new-generation centrifuges and we have fully mastered the job,” Salehi stressed. “We have put in 1,000 centrifuges of the second generation (IR-2m), but we have not injected the UF6 gas into them given the ongoing nuclear talks,” he added. He said Iran is currently building first-generation centrifuges and has installed centrifuges of the second generation, but the third and fourth generation ones are undergoing tests. The Iranian official pointed out that Iran will not install any more second-generation centrifuges as it needs enough space and infrastructure. Early in December, Spokesman for the AEOI Behrouz Kamalvandi said that the organization has provided the UN nuclear agency with information about the country's new generation of centrifuges. “The AEOI has provided the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) with necessary information about the research being carried out on the country’s peaceful (nuclear) activities on time and within the framework of the Safeguards Agreement,” Kamalvandi said. Kamalvandi added that the new generation of centrifuges has more capacity compared to the first and second generations and have undergone initial tests. The Iranian official said the new generation was produced in line with the AEOI policy to enhance enrichment machinery and increase production capacity. The IAEA Inspectors arrived in Iran early in December to visit the country’s Arak heavy water facility after the AEOI granted the agency’s request to visit the plant. The voluntary move is a goodwill gesture on the part of Iran to clear up ambiguities over the peaceful nature of the country’s nuclear energy program. In November, Iran and the UN nuclear agency agreed on a roadmap for more cooperation on outstanding nuclear issues. Under the agreement, Iran would, on a voluntary basis, allow the IAEA inspectors to visit Arak heavy water plant and Gachin uranium mine in Bandar Abbas, in Southern Iran. The IAEA has conducted numerous inspections of Iran's nuclear facilities, but has never found any evidence showing that Iran's nuclear program has been diverted to nuclear weapons production.