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Iran Begins Removal of IAEA Seals at Enrichment-related
Locations, January 10, 2006
'Iran Begins Removal of IAEA Seals at Enrichment-related
Locations', IAEA Press Release, 2006/02, January 10, 2006.
10 January 2006 | IAEA inspectors
confirmed today that Iran started to remove IAEA seals on
enrichment-related equipment and material at Natanz. Based on the
information currently available, the removal of Agency seals at the
enrichment site of Natanz, and at two related storage and testing
locations, Pars Trash and Farayand Technique, will be completed by
11 January 2006.
On 7 January 2006, Iran requested that the Agency removes, before
9 January 2006, specified seals at Natanz, Pars Trash and Farayand
Technique. These seals covered P-1 centrifuge components, maraging
steel, high strength aluminium and centrifuge quality control and
manufacturing equipment, as well as two cylinders containing
UF6 located at Natanz. The seals also covered some
process equipment at the Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant (PFEP) at
Natanz.
According to Iran, the intended scale of the "R&D&" is
small and will be carried out at PFEP. Iran has also informed the
Agency that it planned to install small-scale gas ultracentrifuge
cascades at PFEP and that, during this "R&D", UF6
gas would be fed into these cascades for research purposes. Iran
also indicated that these activities may include the manufacturing
of a limited number of new components, currently planned only for
P-1 centrifuges.
The cascade hall and the UF6 feed and withdrawal
stations at PFEP will continue to be covered by IAEA containment
and surveillance measures.
IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei expressed his serious
concern about Iran´s decision to unravel the suspension of
enrichment-related activities requested by the IAEA Board of
Governors before the Agency has clarified the nature of
Iran´s nuclear programme. He recalled that, although the
Agency has been investigating Iran´s nuclear programme for
three years, a number of important issues relevant to the scope and
nature of Iran´s programme remain outstanding due to the less
than full and prompt transparency on the part of Iran.
In Dr. ElBaradei´s view, maintaining the suspension,
resuming the dialogue with all concerned parties, and providing the
necessary cooperation and transparency to the IAEA are conditions
for a comprehensive and equitable solution that ensures
Iran´s right to peaceful nuclear activities while assuring
the international community of the peaceful nature of its nuclear
programme.
Source: International Atomic Energy Agency, http://www.iaea.org.
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