Iran begins nuke centrifuge installation

Iran hasd started putting in place 3,000 uranium enriching centrifuges at a key nuclear plant in an immediate response to a United Nations sanctions resolution, top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani told the Kayhan newspaper here.

"Our immediate response to the UN Security Council is that, as of today, we will start the activities at the site of the 3,000 centrifuge machines in Natanz and we will go ahead with full speed," Larijani said yesterday.

Natanz is the plant where Iran carries out uranium enrichment, a process the West fears could be diverted to make a nuclear bomb, a charge vehemently denied by Iran.

"We will accelerate our programme to install the 3,000 centrifuges" in response to the resolution, Alaeddin Boroujerdi, the influential head of parliament's security commission, also told the state radio.

Installing 3,000 centrifuges would be an important step for Iran towards enriching uranium on an industrial scale. So far it has two cascades of 164 centrifuges at its uranium enrichment plant in the central city of Natanz.

Iran has maintained that it wants to have the new centrifuges installed by March and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said the Islamic republic will be able to celebrate its "nuclearisation" around that time.

"We repeatedly said in the past that if the Westerners wanted to exploit the UN Security Council it will not only have no influence but make us more determined to pursue our nuclear goals even faster," said Larijani.

India reacts guardedly to UN decision on Iran

India today reacted guardedly to the United Nations Security Council's decision to impose sanctions on Iran, saying it was studying its "implications" but underlined the need for dialogue to resolve Tehran's nuclear issue with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) having a central role in it.

While commenting on last night's development, New Delhi also maintained that Iran has a "right" to pursue its nuclear programme for peaceful civilian use and noted that Tehran has "undertaken certain obligations" that its nuclear programme is exclusively for peaceful purposes.

"We have noted the passage of the UN Security Council resolution (imposing sanctions on Iran) and are studying its implications," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Navtej Sarna said in response to a question on the world body's decision.

Sarna said New Delhi continues to feel that "all possible efforts should be made to address Iran's nuclear issues by peaceful means through dialogue and negotiations." India also believes that the IAEA "should play a central role in resolving the outstanding issues" concerning Iran's nuclear programme, he said.

The Security Council yesterday unanimously voted to impose non-military sanctions on Iran for its failure to end its nuclear enrichment programme.

See:UN slaps sanctions on Iran