Iran should enrich uranium to 20%

A top Iranian lawmaker has once again emphasized the country’s right to go ahead with enriching uranium to a level of 20 percent for peaceful applications.

“Iran will produce nuclear fuel for its power plants at home,” IRNA quoted deputy head of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of Iran’s Parliament (Majlis) Hossein Ebrahimi as saying on Sunday.

“Peaceful use of nuclear energy is an inalienable right of the Iranian nation. Iran is currently enriching uranium in line with regulations and under full surveillance of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA),” he said.

Thus, those who create obstacles in the way of Iran’s nuclear activities are violating regulations, he added.

On August 16, Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi said Tehran will begin constructing its third enrichment plant by early 2011.

“Studies for the location of 10 other uranium enrichment facilities are ended,” Salehi said.

Currently, Iran’s Natanz enrichment facility is enriching uranium to a level of 20 percent and another facility around Qom, Fordo, is under construction.

Western powers accuse Iran of developing nuclear weapons. Tehran denies the charges and argues that as an IAEA member state and a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty it has the right to the use of peaceful nuclear technology.