Khatami: Iran Will Pursue Nuclear Program

[G_j]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-4503926,00.html

Khatami: Iran Will Pursue Nuclear Program

Tuesday September 21, 2004 12:16 PM

By ALI AKBAR DAREINI

Associated Press Writer

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - President Mohammad Khatami said Tuesday that Iran will continue a nuclear program some suspect is aimed at developing weapons, even if that means an end to U.N. oversight.

Defying a key demand set by 35 nations, Iran also announced Tuesday that it has started converting raw uranium into the gas needed for enrichment, a process that can be used to make nuclear weapons.

``We've made our choice: yes to peaceful nuclear technology, no to atomic weapons,'' Khatami said at a military parade in Tehran. ``We will continue along our path even if it leads to an end to international supervision'' of our nuclear activities.

As a member of the U.N. International Atomic Energy Agency, Iran allows supervision to ensure its nuclear programs are peaceful. Under international pressure last year, Iran agreed to a more aggressive inspection regime under an additional protocol to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.

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