Iran Ends Centrifuge Use

Diplomatic sources close to the Agency say Iran sent an official letter to the IAEA regarding its centrifuges and that the provisions in the letter were deemed acceptable by the European Union. Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hamid Reza Asefi explained in a press briefing yesterday that the use of the 20 centrifuges for research purposes was a separate issue from the suspension of the uranium enrichment program. Asefi said they were committed to using the centrifuge machines and held negotiations with the Europeans expecting to reach a positive end. France, Germany and the Great Britain postponed making a final vote on Iran in Vienna today and warned that they would not oppose moves to apply sanctions on the Tehran administration if a final agreement on the suspension of its nuclear program could not be made. In an IAEA meeting scheduled to end last Friday (November 26), a resolution draft on Iran’s nuclear program could not be voted upon and had to be postponed until today because of the last minute dispute over the centrifuges. The United Nations (UN) Security Council may apply sanctions on Iran depending upon the final decision to be made today by the IAEA.