Britain 'seriously concerned' after Iran snubs West and upgrades nuclear fuel

Published on Sunday 7 February 2010 21:55

THE Foreign Office has issued a swift response to Iran's announcement to escalate uranium enrichment describing the plan as a matter of "serious concern".

&#149 Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visits a laser exhibition yesterday

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad earlier ordered scientists in the country to upgrade enrichment of the nuclear fuel to 20 per cent.

A spokeswoman for the British Foreign Office said: "Reports that Iran is planning to enrich some of their fuel to 20 per cent level of enrichment are clearly a matter of serious concern.

She added that this would constitute a "deliberate breach" of five UN Security Council Resolutions.

As such the British government would consider its response "in partnership with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and others, including the E3+3 (US, Russia, China, UK, France and Germany)".

The Iranian president's announcement marked a hardening stance from Tehran, coinciding with calls from the US for greater pressure to be placed on Iran over the issue. Speaking during a week-long visit to Europe, US Secretary of Defence Robert Gates said that if the international community stood together there was "still time for sanctions to work".

He did not outline any details on what sanctions he had in mind. But his comments appeared to express scepticism over the potential of Iran signing up to a plan currently being discussed under which it would export a large bulk of its nuclear material for enrichment overseas.

The uranium would be turned into refined fuel rods that could only be used in civilian programmes and returned to Tehran, under the proposal.

Last week Mr Ahmadinejad said he had "no problem" with the plan.

But the news over the weekend represented a distancing away from the proposed scheme.

In a statement broadcast on Iranian state television, Mr Ahmadinejad said: "God willing, 20 per cent enrichment will start."

Turning to the head of Iran's atomic energy agency, Ali Akbar Salehi, the president added: "Mr Salehi, begin production of 20 per cent."

No timeframe was given for the enrichment of higher-level uranium. The 20 per cent enrichment ordered is still way below the 90 per cent needed for a nuclear warhead.

But it will raise concerns in the West that Tehran is moving further towards creating weapons grade nuclear material.

The jump from 20 per cent to 70 per cent enrichment can be much more quickly achieved than from the 3.5 per cent to 4.5 per cent that the country currently produces.

It is likely to lead to louder calls from the US for a fourth round of United Nations sanctions to be placed on Tehran to keep it in check over its perceived nuclear intentions.

David Albright, whose Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security tracks suspected proliferators, said that it would take 2,000 centrifuges about a year to turn Iran's 1.8 tonne stockpile of 3.5 per cent uranium into enough weapons grade uranium for one warhead. But he said it would only take 500 to 1,000 centrifuges, and half a year, to move from 20 per cent to 90 percent plus enriched material.

By enriching its present 3.5 per cent uranium stockpile to 20 per cent, "it would be going most of the rest of the way to weapon-grade uranium," he said.

Iran and the West have been discussing a UN plan under which Iran would export its low-enriched uranium for enrichment abroad.