Reuters: Iran vows to pursue atom program despite deadline

[Eugene]

Iran vows to pursue atom program despite deadline

By Mark Heinrich

56 minutes ago

VIENNA (Reuters) - Iran vowed on Wednesday to press on with its nuclear
fuel program, ignoring a U.N. deadline to freeze uranium enrichment or
face broader sanctions, but offered to guarantee it would not try to
develop atomic weapons.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad remained defiant as a 60-day
grace period Iran had been given on December 23 to stop enriching
uranium for nuclear fuel was expiring.

"We ... will continue our work to reach our right (to nuclear technology)
in the shortest possible time," student news agency ISNA quoted him
as saying in the town of Siahkal.

-snip-

The West suspects Iran is trying to make atom bombs behind the facade
of a civilian nuclear energy program. Tehran says it wants only an
alternative source of electricity so it can maximize oil exports and
prepare for when oil reserves run dry.

-snip-

Full article: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070221/ts_nm/iran_nuclear1_dc

Related: Ahmadinejad asserts on the significance of nuclear Iran - ISNA

[Eurobabe]

1. Well ya didn't think they were going to just take their marbles

and go home, now did ya? :shrug:

While I don't condone this action, I did think it was rather amusing when Ahmadinejad said they would stop pursuing nuclear program when the West did also. Like basically who gave Bush the right to dictate what the rest of the world does?

And this is just wonderful because now in addition to ruining the US in six short years, Bush has ezcalated a world wide arms race. Isn't that special? :sarcasm:

[Eugene]

2. AP: U.N. Readies Report on Iran Nuke Program

U.N. Readies Report on Iran Nuke Program

By GEORGE JAHN
The Associated Press
Wednesday, February 21, 2007; 7:01 AM

VIENNA, Austria -- The U.N. nuclear watchdog on Wednesday put finishing
touches on a report expected to confirm that Iran continues uranium
enrichment activities, a finding that could trigger harsher U.N. Security
Council sanctions against Tehran.

Officials at the International Atomic Energy Agency said the report by
Mohamed ElBaradei, head of the Vienna-based IAEA, would likely say that
Iran has expanded enrichment efforts instead of freezing them.

Once it is ready _ likely Wednesday but possibly Thursday _ the report
will be sent to the agency's 35-nation board and to the Security Council.
The council set a 60-day deadline on Dec. 23 for such a freeze and said
continued Iranian defiance past that ultimatum, which runs out Wednesday,
could lead to sanctions additional to those it imposed last month.

Top Iranian officials showed no signs of compromise.

-snip-

Full article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/21/AR2007022100257.html