Israel Matzav

Iran: We'll enrich our own uranium

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahamdinejad told his countrymen on Wednesday that Iran is finished negotiating with the West over its nuclear program and that it would enrich its own uranium to 20% rather than sending it out of the country as had been proposed by the P - 5+1.

"I declare here that with the grace of God, the Iranian nation will produce 20 percent (enriched uranium) fuel and anything it needs itself," Ahmadinejad told a cheering crowd of thousands in the central city Isfahan.

...

David Albright of the Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security, which has tracked Iran for signs of covert proliferation, said that Iran could be producing 20 percent uranium "within months" after adjusting its present enrichment program.

The real concern, said Albright, is that such a move would put Iran well on the way to making weapons grade uranium - material enriched to levels above 90 percent.

While the process of moving from the present level of enrichment to producing 20 percent enriched uranium would take months, the next stage - enriching to weapons grade - could be done "within a couple of weeks," said Albright.

"They're 90 percent on the way" to being able to make weapons-grade uranium "if they make 20 percent," he said.

Unfortunately, the Obama administration still doesn't get it.

What could go wrong?

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 12:43 PM