ElBaradei urges Iran to stop enrichment
VIENNA • UN nuclear chief Mohamed ElBaradei called yesterday on Iran to declare a moratorium on expanding uranium enrichment work in order to defuse the crisis over fears Tehran seeks atomic weapons.
"It would be good if Iran today would stop building additional centrifuges and installing (them) in Natanz. I think that could be a first step toward a time-out or freeze for peace," ElBaradei told reporters as his International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) closed a four-day meeting here.
ElBaradei said Iran had "no urgency in building (enrichment) capacity right now" since it did not have any nuclear power plants running.
He said Iran has from 1,700-2,000 centrifuges enriching uranium now at its underground plant in Natanz, and "our assessment is that by the end of July they might have 18 cascades (some 3,000 centrifuges) running. That is obviously a large number."
ElBaradei has proposed a "time-out" in which Iran would suspend uranium enrichment, which makes nuclear reactor fuel but also atom bomb material, and the UN Security Council would hold off on further sanctions against the Islamic Republic.
A moratorium would be a first step towards a deal to get talks started between Iran and world powers on giving Tehran trade, security and political benefits in exchange for it guaranteeing it will not develop nuclear weapons.
Preliminary talks between the European Union and Iran have foundered on Iran's refusal to consider either a moratorium or a suspension of enrichment.
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