Iran to begin second atomic fuel network in days: agency

Diplomats told Reuters on Monday that Tehran had begun 8220;dry-testing8221; a second network, known as cascades, of 164 centrifuges to go with a maiden cascade that yielded Iran8217;s first batch of enriched uranium suitable for power plant fuel.

The Iranian student news agency ISNA quoted an informed source as confirming the second cascade had been installed at the Natanz pilot enrichment plant two weeks ago.

It said the next important stage of work, injections of uranium UF-6 gas, would be done this week. 8220;Soon after injection of the gas, we will obtain the product of the second8230;cascade,8221; ISNA quoted the source as saying.

The first cascade of 164 centrifuges8212; cylindrical machines that create nuclear fuel by whirling at supersonic speeds8212; produced a tiny amount of low-enriched uranium in April. Iran would need thousands of centrifuges spinning non stop for months to enrich uranium to the high level that would detonate a bomb. Experts say that could be 3-10 years away.

Britain, France and Germany disagree over a US demand that Russia be forced to stop building Iran8217;s first nuclear power plant at Bushehr in the southwest, US officials and European diplomats said. The draft exempts construction of Bushehr and seems to allow 1,500 Russians to continue work there, an EU diplomat said. The exemption did not extend to fuel deliveries, meaning Russia would not be able to fire up the reactor.