Iran to break nuclear seals

The U.N.'s nuclear watchdog has given Iran permission to remove seals at its Isfahan Uranium Conversion facility, Mohammad Saeedi, deputy head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, said on Wednesday.

"Some minutes ago we received a letter from the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency), authorising Iran to remove the seals at Isfahan plant," Saeedi told Reuters by telephone.

"Two hours ago the installation of surveillance cameras finished. The IAEA inspectors will oversee the removal of seals," he said.

Iran began resuming activities at Isfahan on Monday, boosting fears that it may be pursuing atomic arms.

EU officials have warned that it could be referred to the U.N. Security Council for punitive action which could include sanctions and Britain, France and Germany are trying to persuade other members of the IAEA board to warn Tehran to stop the work, reports Reuters.

According to CNN, the head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization said the seals would be removed only after the inspectors had finished installing their surveillance equipment at the facility at Isfahan, 410 kilometers (255 miles) south of Tehran, AP reported.

Iran restarted parts of the uranium conversion process at the Isfahan facility Monday without breaking any U.N. seals at the plant.

But in order to run the whole plant - which converts uranium concentrate into a gas that can then be enriched into reactor or bomb fuel - seals must be removed, Reuters reported.

Iran has insisted it has the right to have a nuclear fuel recycling program in its quest for greater reliance on nuclear energy.

Western nations, however, fear this same uranium enrichment program could also be used by Iran as a front to develop atomic weapons.

President Mahmood Ahmadinejad has described the offer of nuclear, commercial and political cooperation made on Friday by the Europeans in exchange for Iran renouncing the activities as an "insult to the Iranian people".

"The Europeans talk as though the Iranian people were a backward people, as if they were still in the last century when they dominated our country," he added.

"The Europeans talk as though the Iranian people were a backward people, as if they were still in the last century when they dominated our country"

Mahmood Ahmadinejad, Iran's president but while Ahmadinejad's comments published on Tuesday appeared to confirm Western fears he will adopt a tough line on the nuclear issue, he also emphasized he was leaving the door open for more talks with the Europeans.

Ahmadinejad has yet to appoint a new government, but one of the candidates for the post of foreign minister - parliamentary foreign affairs committee head Aleaddine Boroujerdi - made clear there was no going back from the move, informs Aljazeera.