TEHRAN, January 10 (RIA Novosti) - Nuclear research will be pursued at all nuclear facilities of the country, a senior official with Iran's atomic energy organization said Tuesday.
Mohammad Saeedi, the organization's deputy head, said Iran would conduct nuclear research at all its nuclear facilities, which had been earlier disclosed to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN's nuclear watchdog.
The Islamic Republic announced Tuesday that it was resuming research after a two-year hiatus, which has led to disquiet and criticism within the international community, as some members, particularly Israel and the United States, suspect it of developing a secret weapons program. Uranium enrichment can be used for both civilian and military purposes.
Saeedi also said that after Tehran had informed the IAEA about its intention to take off the seals from its nuclear research sites and resume research in the nuclear fuel cycle last Tuesday, the agency and Iran had begun pro-active cooperation on the issue.
Hamid Reza Asefi, the Iranian Foreign Ministry's spokesman, said Iran, like the other parties to the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, had the right to carry out nuclear research under the IAEA's supervision.
About two years ago, Tehran suspended its uranium enrichment programs after negotiations with France, Germany and Britain, representing the European Union.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said earlier Tuesday that Russia was concerned by Iran's plans to resume uranium enrichment "in spite of the moratorium drawn up between Iran and European countries."
Russia has consistently defended Iran's right to develop nuclear fuel, and is building an $800-million plant in the country. It has also resisted attempts to see the "Iranian nuclear file" being referred to the UN Security Council, which has the power to impose sanctions on Tehran if it is found to have been in breach of its commitments to the IAEA.
