Iran to begin 20% uranium enrichment Tuesday
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Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi said Sunday that Iran will begin 20 percent uranium enrichment on Tuesday, Iran's state- run satellite channel Press TV reported.
Iran will inform the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of its plan to enrich 20 percent uranium on Monday and the enrichment will begin on Tuesday, Press TV quoted Salehi as saying.
Earlier on Sunday, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad ordered the AEOI to start work on enriching uranium to a purity of 20 percent, the Mehr news agency reported.
However, Ahmadinejad said Iran is still ready for exchange of nuclear fuel with world powers, the report said.
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Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad speaks while visiting an exhibition of Iran laser science and technology in Tehran February 7, 2010. |
Ahmadinejad's remarks came just two days after Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said that Tehran hoped to reach a uranium transfer deal with world powers in near future.
Tehran "is serious about" reaching an agreement with the international community over Iran's access to enriched uranium, Mottaki told a discussion panel at the annual Munich security conference on Friday.
He said he expected that a deal could be reached in the "not too distant future."
However, the United States and Germany said on Saturday they saw no sign of Iranian concessions on its nuclear program and might opt for added pressure.
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