Iran’s enrichment now more efficient

The Federation of American Scientists says Iran is enriching uranium more efficiently than before despite US and Israeli claims that Iran’s drive to master the nuclear fuel cycle is losing steam.

The Washington-based Federation of American Scientists released a study on its website on Friday assessing Iran’s nuclear industry in 2010.

The report said that the centrifuges at Iran’s main uranium enrichment plant in Natanz became more efficient last year.

It also noted that Iran’s enrichment capacity witnessed considerable growth in 2010 compared to the previous years.

“The growth in enrichment capacity from 2009 to 2010 is greater than from 2008 to 2009,” author Ivanka Barzashka wrote, adding that the calculations were made based on data provided by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Contrary to statements by US officials and many experts, the report asserts that Iran clearly is not slowing down its efforts to master the nuclear fuel cycle, saying, “It has a greater enrichment capacity and seems to be more efficient at enrichment.”

The report was issued on the first day of comprehensive talks between Iran and the representatives of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany in the Turkish city of Istanbul.

Iran is a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and thus has the right to enrich uranium to produce fuel.

And the IAEA has conducted numerous inspections of Iran’s nuclear facilities but has never found any evidence showing that Iran’s civilian nuclear program has been diverted to nuclear weapons production.