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Iran To Resume Building Centrifuges


27 June 2004 -- Iran says it will resume building centrifuges for its nuclear program on 29 June.

But Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi told reporters in Tehran today that Iran will keep suspended its uranium enrichment program, which use the centrifuges.

International Atomic Energy Agency chief, Mohammad el-Baradei, who is in Moscow for a nuclear power conference, says he received a letter from Iran last week about the centrifuges.

"They (Iran) said that they are going to boost manufacturing, assembly and testing of parts of their centrifuges," el-Baradei said. "That's what the letter says. I hope it wouldn't change the dialogue. I hope it will be temporary. I hope Iran will also go back to a comprehensive suspension as they have committed to us before. So, I hope this is not a major reversal. But we still need to work with them."

Asefi said Iran would hold talks this week on the nuclear issue with Britain, France, and Germany.

Iran says uranium enriched by centrifuges would be used to generate energy, but the United States and others fear it would be used for nuclear weapons.

(AP, AFP)

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