Salehi: Iran Decides On Level, Extent Of Enrichment

Tehran, Feb 25, IRNA – Head of Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi announced that it is Iran that decides about the level and extent of uranium enrichment. Salehiˈs remarks came in response to statements of US Undersecretary of State Wendy Sherman. ˈIt is the Islamic Republic of Iran that determines the level and the extent of enrichment in accordance with its needs and Tehran considers this principle as its redline,ˈ Salehi told reporters in Kish Island on Monday. Salehi pointed to Shermanˈs statements, and said, ˈWhat Mrs. Sherman has explicitly mentioned with regard to Iranˈs right of uranium enrichment had been previously been brought in the plan of action. He noted that the critics of joint plan of action do not criticize whether the right of enrichment is accepted in the plan or not, but they argue that since eventually a bilateral agreement on the volume and level of enrichment would be reached this might be Iranˈs Achillesˈ heel and they might say you do enrichment, but to small quantity. ˈThe right of enrichment, mentioned several times before, has been recognized in the non-proliferation treaty (NPT) and we do not need to recognition of this right by them. The Group 5+1 has recognized Iranˈs enrichment right both in De Facto and practical terms./end