Iran announces new centrifuges on 'Nuclear Day'
08 April 2008
[IRNA, RIA Novosti, CNN, 8 April] Iran celebrated its National Day of Nuclear Technology on 8 April, marking the second anniversary of Tehran officially declaring that it had produced the first batch of low-enriched uranium at Natanz required for the production of nuclear fuel. The Iranian people had been promised some interesting news in advance. Yesterday, whilst touring the Natanz plant, president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced that Iran has embarked on a plan to install 6000 IR-2 design centrifuges to enrich uranium. The productive capacity of these centrifuges is said to be 250% higher than that of their predecessors. Ahmadinejad said that installation of the new centrifuges began on Tuesday and that they will become operational at the Natanz uranium enrichment plant over the course of the year, according to Iranian news agencies. Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying: "Iran last year installed 3000 centrifuges and entered the stage of enrichment. And in the current year, new centrifuges will become operational, which is a sign of Islamic Iran's outstanding successes and achievements." The president also promised "good news" in the fields of "peaceful nuclear energy, aerospace and agriculture" and "eye-catching" work in science, economy and culture.