Smash hit

Tehran is adamant that as a signatory of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty it can build uranium conversion and enrichment plants, which it has offered to open to IAEA inspection.

Western and other nations, however, are suspicious of Tehran’s intentions, not least because expensive nuclear energy seems illogical in a country rich in oil and natural gas.

In particular, there are fears that Iran’s real intention is to produce highly enriched uranium at weapons-grade level.

Last year Iran voluntarily suspended its uranium conversion facility at Isfahan and its enrichment plant at Natanz under an agreement with Britain, France and Germany.

But last month it rejected an EU offer to be supplied with nuclear fuel from abroad and unilaterally restarted conversion work at Isfahan.

It threatened yesterday to resume enrichment at Natanz if the IAEA refers it to the UN. “Enrichment is not on the agenda for the time being but if the IAEA meeting [today] leads to radical results, we will make our decision to correspond to that,” Hamid Reza Asefi, the Foreign Ministry spokesman, said. “In a radical atmosphere, there is the possibility of any decision [by Iran].”

Ali Aghamohammadi, spokesman for the Supreme National Security Council, was even blunter. “If nuclear negotiations [with the EU] are stopped, it is normal that we will start the activities at Natanz facility,” he said.

That latest threat from Iran will come as no surprise to Washington. It has long argued that Tehran is determined to build a nuclear bomb and must be stopped by sanctions and other penalties. As a last resort, the Bush Administration would even consider the use of force.

Getting tough with Iran could also have serious consequences for Britain. Groups armed by hardline Iranian factions have been blamed for recent attacks against British troops in southern Iraq. Iran could mobilise further Shia Muslim insurgent activity in Iraq if it wanted to hit back at Britain and America.

ATOMIC SPLIT

August 2002 An Iranian exile group, the National Council of Resistance of Iran, says that the country has secret uranium enrichment plants

February 2003 International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) begins inspection of sites in Iran

June 2004 IAEA accuses Iran of failing to comply fully with its inspection

November 2004 Iran agrees to suspend uranium enrichment in a deal with the European Union

February 2005 President Khatami says Iran will never give up its nuclear programmes

August 5 Iran rejects EU proposals for abandoning uranium enrichment in exchange for economic co-operation

August 10 Iran breaches agreement with EU by resuming uranium processing at a plant in Isfahan

September 18 President Ahmadinejad tells the United Nations that Iran has an “inalienable right” to develop nuclear power

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