The Jerusalem Post Internet Edition

Iranian gov't approves building of 10 enrichment sites
Nov. 29, 2009
AP and jpost.com staff , THE JERUSALEM POST

The Iranian government approved a plan Sunday to build 10 industrial scale uranium enrichment facilities, a dramatic expansion of the program in defiance of UN demands it halt enrichment.

The decision came only days after the UN nuclear watchdog agency censured Iran over its program , and demanded it halt the construction of a newly revealed enrichment facility.

Iran's state news agency IRNA reported that the government ordered the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran to begin construction of five uranium enrichment sites that have already been studied and propose five other sites for future construction.

The decision was made during a Cabinet meeting headed by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Sunday evening, IRNA said.

Also Sunday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani issued a warning of his own that Teheran may cut cooperation with the UN nuclear agency watchdog.

"If the West continues to pressure us, then parliament can review Iran's cooperation level with the IAEA," he told the assembly.

According to Larijani, "If the Western powers continue to use the ridiculous policy of sticks and carrots, Teheren too will form a new type of relationship with the West."

The US and Israel expressed satisfaction over the weekend with what officials from both countries termed "a growing momentum" of international pressure on Iran to halt activities that would enable it to construct nuclear weapons.

On Friday, the IAEA resolution censuring Iran passed by a 25-3 margin, demanding that Teheran immediately freeze construction of its newly revealed nuclear facility and heed Security Council resolutions to stop uranium enrichment.

Hilary Leila Krieger and Haviv Rettig Gur contributed to this report