The UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, confirmed today that Iran has restarted nuclear activities that had been mothballed under a deal with the European Union's three biggest powers. Britain and France have criticised the move.
"IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei informed members of the (IAEA) board of governors that Iran today started to feed uranium ore concentrate into the first part of the process line at the uranium conversion facility," it said in a statement.
"It should be noted that the sealed parts of the process line remain intact."
The IAEA board will hold an emergency meeting tomorrow to discuss the escalating standoff over Iran's nuclear ambitions. Iran suspended all parts of its nuclear programme that could be used to produce enriched-uranium fuel for nuclear power plants or weapons under a deal it reached with France, Britain and Germany in Paris in November 2004.
The EU trio, sharing Washington's suspicions that Tehran's nuclear programme is aimed at developing atomic weapons, have asked Tehran to voluntarily give up all sensitive nuclear activities in exchange for economic and political incentives.
But Iran has refused, insisting its programme is aimed solely at the peaceful generation of electricity. To monitor Tehran's compliance with the Paris agreement, the IAEA had sealed sensitive equipment at Iran's uranium conversion facility at Isfahan and its uranium enrichment plant at Natanz.
Diplomats from the EU trio said the question of whether or not Iran had broken IAEA seals was a crucial one, as it would determine the severity of any violations of the Paris agreement.
The Vienna-based IAEA said it has installed cameras at Isfahan to monitor Iran's renewed activities at the plant. "This activity was commenced following the installation today by the IAEA of cameras ... but regrettably prior to completion of the in situ testing of the cameras, which normally takes 24 hours following installation," the IAEA said.
Britain said it was deeply concerned by Iran's decision and France described the tone of Tehran's rejection of EU proposals as particularly alarming.
Tehran's defiance is likely to land it in serious trouble at an emergency meeting of the UN atomic watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, in Vienna tomorrow.
"We regret Iran's decision to reject the E3's proposals and are deeply concerned about reports that Iran has also decided to restart the uranium conversion facility at Isfahan," British Foreign Office Minister Ian Pearson said in a statement.
"We will discuss next steps in the IAEA board of governors tomorrow."
French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy said: "Iran's tone is particularly alarming and contrary to the spirit of dialogue we have had ... over the last two years."
"Iran has never been able to explain the necessity of proceeding with the conversion and the enrichment of uranium," he added.
"It's a new situation that only makes us increase our doubts over the aims of the Iranian programme."