ElBaradei says Iran uranium enrichment progress slow

Source: Xinhua | 04-18-2008 13:42

BERLIN, April 17 (Xinhua) -- Iran is making only slow progress in enriching uranium and centrifuges used in the process are just older-model devices, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in Berlin Thursday.

"The rate of progress so far has not been very fast" at southern Iran's Natanz plant, IAEA General Secretary Mohamed ElBaradei said after talks with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

He said Iran had 3,300 or 3,400 centrifuges of the 1970s vintage P-1 type in the Natanz enrichment hall, up from 3,000 at the end of last year.

"They are not moving very much," ElBaradei said.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on April 8 that Iran had tested more sophisticated centrifuges, which were smaller in volume while the efficiency was five times higher. Last week Iran said it was now operating 492 new ones.

ElBaradei urged Iran not to speed up the process and to resolve its dispute with the international community over its nuclear program. He spoke of the need for continued dialogue to resolve the conflict.

Western governments believe Tehran is trying to develop nuclear weapons, but Tehran insists its programme is for energy generation. Enriched uranium can be used for both purposes.

Editor:Xiong