Diplomats: Iran may start enrichment

AP: Iran is ready to start assembling thousands of centrifuges to produce enriched uranium – a possible pathway to nuclear arms – after finishing most preliminary work on an underground facility housing such machines, a diplomat and a U.N. official said Thursday. Associated Press

By GEORGE JAHN

Associated Press Writer

VIENNA, Austria (AP) – Iran is ready to start assembling thousands of centrifuges to produce enriched uranium – a possible pathway to nuclear arms – after finishing most preliminary work on an underground facility housing such machines, a diplomat and a U.N. official said Thursday.

The two – who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss confidential information – said much, but not all of the hardware needed for the installation of the centrifuges was now in place at the Natanz facility designated to house Tehran’s industrial-scale enrichment program.

Both men emphasized that the facility had been ready for some time, and there was no sign that actual work on putting in the centrifuges would begin at any particular date.

Still, there has been speculation that the hardline leadership might start doing so next month, to celebrate the 28th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution that brought the clerical leadership to power.