Iran starts uranium tests for nuclear centrifuges

Gholamreza Aghazadeh, the head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation, told reporters in Vienna Iran had begun converting 37 tons of raw uranium into material which is fuel for nuclear centrifuges -- the machines that enrich uranium.

One nuclear expert has said that, if enriched, that would be enough material for five nuclear weapons.

"Some of the amount of the 37 tons has been used. The tests have been successful but these tests have to be continued using the rest of the material," said Aghazadeh, who is attending a general conference of the Vienna-based UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Iran had told the IAEA a few weeks ago it intended to run the tests. However, the announcement came after the IAEA board of governors passed a resolution on Saturday calling on Iran to halt all activities linked to uranium enrichment.

AP adds: President Mohammad Khatami said yesterday that Iran will continue its suspect nuclear programme even if that means an end to UN oversight.

"We've made our choice: yes to peaceful nuclear technology, no to atomic weapons," Khatami told a military parade in Tehran.

"We will continue along our path even if it leads to an end to international supervision" of our nuclear activities, he said.

Iran's uranium enrichment program has been the focus of increased world concern because of suspicions Tehran may not be telling the truth when it says it is interested in the technology only to generate power.

Such suspicions are fed by 18 years of clandestine nuclear activities that were revealed only two years ago, including experiments with possible weapons applications; and some nuclear questions that remain unanswered.

A resolution passed unanimously Saturday by the governing board of the UN nuclear monitoring agency demanded for the first time that Iran freeze all work on uranium enrichment and answer all questions about its nuclear activities within two months.