 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
South Africa Denies Proposing Iran Nuclear Enrichment
Johannesburg (AFP) Nov 07, 2005 South Africa on Monday denied that it proposed taking part in any uranium enrichment activities in Iran, saying it had been "actively involved in seeking a diplomatic solution regarding the peaceful uses of nuclear energy by Iran." "The report that South Africa had proposed taking part in the enrichment process in Iran is erroneous and without any foundation," South Africa's Foreign Affairs Department said in a terse statement, issued from Pretoria. The statement late Monday followed earlier claims by a senior Iranian official that Tehran was talking to South Africa about assistance with its nuclear programme in a bid to solve a prolonged international dispute over its atomic ambitions. "We are in the process of negotiating on the modalities of this participation," Javad Vaidi, an official from Iran's Supreme National Security Council, told state television. He said that South Africa had suggested supplying Iran with uranium oxide concentrate -- known as yellowcake -- that the Islamic republic would then convert into uranium hexafluoride gas at its plant in the central city of Isfahan. In the nuclear fuel cycle, uranium hexafluoride is then injected into centrifuges to produce the enriched uranium that can be used both as the fuel for nuclear power stations and the explosive core of a nuclear bomb. Vaidi said South Africa had also proposed taking part in the enrichment process, which is currently suspended. Iran is refusing to give in to European demands that it renounce enrichment-related activities as the best guarantee that it is not seeking a nuclear weapon. Last month, International Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohamed ElBaradei identified South Africa as one of a number of third parties attempting to broker a compromise between Iran and the West. Iran's top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani made an official visit to Pretoria, itself a former undeclared nuclear power under the old apartheid regime. "It is well known that South Africa, as a member of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), has been actively involved in seeking a diplomatic solution regarding the peaceful uses of nuclear energy by the Islamic Republic of Iran," the Foreign Affairs statement said. "During talks with several concerned parties over a long period, a number of proposals have been discussed including in relation to the process of conversion," it said, without giving further details. Community Email This Article Comment On This Article Related Links SpaceDaily Search SpaceDaily Subscribe To SpaceDaily Express Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com Learn about missile defense at SpaceWar.com All about missiles at SpaceWar.com Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com
World Powers Threaten Defiant Iran Over Nuclear Crisis
Vienna (AFP) Jan 11, 2006World powers threatened Iran with UN Security Council sanctions Wednesday after it resumed sensitive nuclear activities as a defiant Tehran vowed to press ahead with its disputed atomic programme. |
|
|
| The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2006 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA PortalReports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additionalcopyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement |
