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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Iran 'plans to upgrade enrichment equipment' | Iran 'plans to upgrade enrichment equipment' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Iran has told the UN nuclear agency it plans to upgrade uranium enrichment centrifuges at its Natanz plant, reports citing diplomats say. | Iran has told the UN nuclear agency it plans to upgrade uranium enrichment centrifuges at its Natanz plant, reports citing diplomats say. |
| The move would allow the country to refine uranium at a faster rate, increasing fears among western states about Iran's intentions. | The move would allow the country to refine uranium at a faster rate, increasing fears among western states about Iran's intentions. |
| Iran insists its nuclear programme is peaceful in purpose. The US and its allies fear it seeks nuclear weapons. | Iran insists its nuclear programme is peaceful in purpose. The US and its allies fear it seeks nuclear weapons. |
| The plan was set out in a letter to the IAEA dated 23 January, reports said. | The plan was set out in a letter to the IAEA dated 23 January, reports said. |
| The letter is said to mention a model of centrifuge, called IR2m, which can enrich two or three times faster than the present equipment being used by Tehran, according to the Associated Press. | |
| The International Atomic Energy Agency sent a letter to member states saying Iran had informed the agency of its plans to use the improved machines at its fuel enrichment plant in Natanz, according to a document seen by Reuters. | The International Atomic Energy Agency sent a letter to member states saying Iran had informed the agency of its plans to use the improved machines at its fuel enrichment plant in Natanz, according to a document seen by Reuters. |
| "The Secretariat of the Agency received a letter from the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) dated 23 January 2013 informing the Agency that 'centrifuge machines type IR2m will be used in Unit A-22' at the Fuel Enrichment Plant (FEP) at Natanz," the IAEA communication is reported to say. | |
| The Natanz facility, in central Iran, is at the heart of the country's dispute with the United Nations Security Council. | The Natanz facility, in central Iran, is at the heart of the country's dispute with the United Nations Security Council. |
| Meanwhile, on Thursday, the European Union's top foreign policy official said she believed that negotiations on the country's nuclear programme would resume shortly. | |
| Catherine Ashton said she was "confident" that there would be a meeting soon. |