Aug 10 - Tehran Moves Uranium Plant To Full Production.

Tehran removes seals placed by UN inspectors at its Isfahan nuclear site and brings the facility to full operation as envoys to the UN nuclear agency in Vienna moved closer to achieving consensus on a text calling for the suspension of Tehran's nuclear program. The removal of the seals was criticised by the US, which along with Britain, France and Germany is pressuring Iran to resume its voluntary suspension. The IAEA in Vienna confirmed that Iran had removed the seals at the Isfahan facility, where a first phase of uranium conversion began Aug 8, using equipment that had not been under seal. "It's obviously a unilateral decision on Iran's part, taken despite repeated requests from the board of governors to maintain a full suspension", said Melissa Fleming, a spokeswoman for the agency. The agency's board of governors, which includes representatives from 35 countries, canceled a meeting but was scheduled to meet Aug 11 to discuss a proposed resolution. "The parties needed more time to negotiate", Fleming said. "It was wishful thinking that they could possibly come to a conclusion this afternoon". Under the NPT, Iran has the right to process and enrich uranium for peaceful purposes. But the atomic energy agency's board of governors passed a resolution in September 2004 saying that it "considers it necessary to promote confidence that Iran immediately suspend all enrichment related activities". Europe and the US say they are suspicious of Iran's nuclear activities because until 2002 Iran kept the program secret. It was disclosed by an Iranian opposition group, and since then Tehran has co-operated with international inspectors. "Today's breaking of seals is yet another sign of Iran's disregard for international concerns", Matt Boland, spokesman for the US mission to international organisations in Vienna, told AFP. Mohammad Saidi, deputy head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation, said Aug 10 the seals at the uranium conversion facility near Isfahan were removed after the atomic energy agency gave its go-ahead, the ISNA news agency reported. Iran agreed to a request that it not remove the seals until UN inspectors install monitoring equipment, which was completed Aug 10. The removal of the UN seals, which were put in place last year under a voluntary agreement, allows Iran to resume the second phase of the uranium conversion process, which Iran says it is pursuing for its civilian nuclear program. Production remains suspended on the more sensitive part of Iran's nuclear fuel program, the uranium enrichment plant at Natanz, which Tehran kept secret until 2002. The removal of the seals was part of Iran's tough stance over its nuclear program under the new conservative president who took office this week. Conservative politicians in Iran have criticised negotiations that Tehran held with Britain, France and Germany during the suspension of the nuclear program and said Iran's soft policy had led to compromise in the program. The daily newspaper Keyhan warned Aug 10 in its lead editorial that Iran would withdraw from the NPTreaty if its case were sent to the UN Security Council. The newspaper is close to Iran's supreme religious leader, Ayat Ali Khamenei, the man who has the final word over state matters. European leaders have threatened to take Iran to the Security Council but such a move is not on the table at the Vienna talks. Pres Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has defended the resumption of work but said Iran wanted to maintain its negotiations with Europe. He also said his government would make its own proposal to end the standoff.