Iran: 20% uranium enrichment not against NPT

After Iran announced its decision to start enriching uranium to a 20 percent level, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman said the process does not contradict the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

“Iran has the right to enrich uranium to a level of 20 percent. The peaceful aspect of the enriched uranium is not in contradiction with the NPT,” Ramin Mehman-Parast told the Iranian Labor News Agency.

He added that Iran should produce part of the 20-percent enriched uranium inside the country to meet its future needs for the Tehran research reactor.

“However, we will receive the fuel from countries which enrich uranium only if they cooperate with Iran,” Mehman-Parast said.

The spokesman made the comment after President Ahmadinejad tasked Iran’s atomic chief with enriching uranium to 20 percent in order to meet the demands of the country’s cancer patients.

“Mr. Salehi you start enriching up to 20 percent and we are still open to negotiations on the issue,” he said on Sunday.

Iran needs 120 kg (264 lb) of 20 percent-enriched uranium to fuel the Tehran research reactor, which produces medical isotopes for cancer patients and is soon to run out of fuel.

The Tehran research reactor, which produces 20 different kinds of radio-medicine for cancer patients, runs on 20 percent-enriched U-235 &30151; an enrichment level higher than that which is currently produced at Iran’s Natanz enrichment facility.