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Iran Security Council Official Says Esfahan Nuclear "Operation" Started

Posted on: Monday, 1 August 2005, 18:00 CDT

The head of the information dissemination committee of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Aqamohammadi has said that the nuclear installations in Esfahan had already started their "operation". Aqamohammadi made this statement during a debate about the Iranian nuclear programme and Iran's policy towards the EU on the second channel of the Iranian television's special discussion programme. The following is an excerpt from a report by Iranian TV on 1 August

[The head of the information dissemination committee of the Iranian Supreme National Security Council Ali Aqamohammadi] Since the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council had made an official announcement in Geneva, saying to the European side that if the plan did not include the issue of enrichment, then it would be rejected. It would be unacceptable to us because the crux of the matter for us is the issue of enrichment. We are not interested in peripheral debates. We did not go there to buy aircraft or spare parts or become a member of the WTO [World Trade Organization] These things have nothing to do with the point at issue.

On that basis, since we did not get the proposal, we came to the conclusion that the letter should serve as the basis for action. The letter was the basis in fact. Now, we thought that they might have wanted to make changes. Therefore, at 1300 we gave the letter to the agency. On the basis of the regulations, the agency will be duty- bound to come here and start the operations in Esfahan. Some agency officials have been in Esfahan. They are now busy and a number of others should join them. They are doing this.

[Anchorman] So Dr, have the operations not started yet?

[Aqamohammadi] No, they are busy. They have things to do. You see, there are certain things that must be done. This is an operation. I mean, they must adjust their cameras and hold their debates about supervision. They must check the seals and so forth. So work is being done and they are now working together and they are doing their jobs. When they finish what they have to do, then Esfahan will start its operation.

The International Atomic Energy Agency will itself make an announcement saying that products are leaving this place. This process will take time. It takes time. However, the operations are being carried out as routine matters and there is no debate about that. I mean, the agency does not have the authority to do so or to refuse to do so. No-one else can make another decision amidst all this either. The decision has already been made. As far as we are concerned, Esfahan has already started work and they are carrying out operations.

[Anchorman] Thank you very much Dr.

Source: BBC Monitoring Newsfile

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