xaxam | Editorial from Iran Daily

Iran Joins Nuclear Technology Club

Fuel Cycle Complete

Enrichment Sufficient for Power Plants

TEHRAN, April 11--President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced on Tuesday Iran has joined the club of nuclear countries. Speaking at a gathering in the holy city of Mashhad, the president said the nuclear fuel cycle at the laboratory scale was completed on Sunday April 9 and enriched uranium required for nuclear power plants was produced by the Iranian youth.
Ahmadinejad noted that getting access to the nuclear fuel cycle has been the demand of the Iranian nation.
According to IRNA, the chief executive said the most important manifestation of came to the fore on Feb. 11 (the anniversary of the victory of Islamic Revolution) when millions of people made this demand.
He added that all of Iran’s nuclear activities were supervised by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in an unprecedented manner and Iran still remains committed to cooperating with the IAEA and abiding by the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
“I sincerely congratulate all martyrs of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Reza (AS), the leader, the great nation of Iran and the beloved youth of the country at this holy place. This historic accomplishment is the product of sufferings, resistance and endurance of the great Iranian nation. This marks the beginning of greater accomplishments,“ he said. Ahmadinejad further said that April 9, 2006, is a great day in Iran’s history and will always serve as a source of inspiration for the nation and youth in all arenas of advancement. “What has been achieved is within the framework of the legitimate rights of the nation and complies with the international norms and standards and the IAEA regulations. Based on global regulations and our legitimate rights, we shall continue this path until we can produce fuel at the industrial level for our power plants,“ he said. He once again reiterated that advancement and might of Iran has always been at the service of peace, calm and security for our neighbors and the inhabitants of the planet and will always be so.Ahmadinejad thanked the managers and engineers of Iran’s Atomic Energy organization and called on them to continue this trend with more speed. Addressing the same gathering, the head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, Gholamreza Aqazadeh, said Iran has managed to enrich uranium to the 3.5 percent level at the Natanz nuclear site on Sunday. Aqazadeh, who is also a vice president, dedicated the scientific achievement to “the diligent and revolutionary generation of the future“. He stressed that this achievement has paved the way for starting uranium enrichment at the industrial level. “We have used the most advanced facilities by relying on indigenous knowledge in design, assembly and operations related to the production of nuclear fuel,“ he said. Aqazadeh emphasized that generating electricity is one of the most important priorities of the government, which is seeking nuclear technology for only peaceful purposes. He expressed hope that by the end of the current Iranian year (March 20, 2007), a complex capable of enriching 3,000 tons of uranium will become operational. Aqazadeh further said Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant was 91.1 percent complete by March 20.

Editorial, Iran Daily, April 12, 2006. The Soviet Cosmonautics Day.

Adon Xaxam adds:

Poor creatures! They would like to get rid of that humiliating "technology" word in the title, but the headline "Iran Joins the Nuclear Club" would mean only one thing: Iran carried out the test. The next headline could be easily predictable: "Iran nuclear facilites wiped off the Earth". They are not ready yet for such "development", despite all their "martyrdom".

UPD. Time proved me wrong: they got rid of the red word in 24 hours... Wait and see.