Iran resumes nuclear enrichment work

Tehran also announced it had put off talks due this week on a Russian proposal to avert a Security Council showdown by enriching Iranian uranium on its soil to prevent shadowy diversions to weapons-making. However, Moscow said it was prepared to go ahead with the talks on Thursday as planned.

Diplomats in missions dealing with the UN nuclear watch dog agency in Vienna said that Iran had resumed some uranium purification activity at its Natanz plant late on Sunday.

An official in the Tehran said that “Iran was supposed to resume uranium enrichment on Sunday or Monday,” without confirming whether the process had started.

If confirmed, Iran’s move would signal a determination to overcome any action to restrain its nuclear project after a February 4 vote by the IAEA to report Tehran to the Security Council, which could consider sanctions.

Iran retaliated for the decision by IAEA’s 35-nation board of governors by halting short-notice IAEA inspections, a crucial tool in inquiries to assess whether Iran’s nuclear programme is wholly peaceful or not, and vowing to enrich uranium once again.

The West fears that the Islamic Republic, which covered up enrichment work and nuclear black-market purchases from the IAEA for almost 20 years and frequently calls for Israel’s destruction, is secretly trying to build atomic bombs.

Tehran denies this, saying it seeks only atomic energy for an expanding economy. Its leaders suggest they are confident Western efforts to clip its nuclear wings will run out of steam because of international dependence on Iranian oil exports.

“Indications that they have resumed enrichment would explain why they’ve stalled the Russia talks slated this week,” said an EU diplomat who like others spoke on condition of anonymity. —Reuters