Iran confirms completing centrifuges installation in Fordo

Head of Iran's Atomic Energy Agency addresses report by which Iran completed installing centrifuges at underground nuclear plant

Ynet|Published: 11.01.12 , 23:45

Iran admitted to completing the installation of centrifuges in the underground Fordo nuclear site. Following a Wednesday cabinet meeting in Tehran, the Head of Iran's Atomic Energy Agency Fereydoun Abbasi said the Iranians were perfecting their nuclear abilities as planned, Iranian media reported.

Western diplomats reported last week that Tehran appears to have nearly finished installing centrifuges in Fordo, a move that brings the Islamic Republic closer to building a nuclear bomb, though according to reports, the new centrifuges have yet to be activated.

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Iran disclosed the existence of the Fordo facility in 2009, after learning that Western intelligence services had detected it.

Concern has been expressed in the West in regards to the facility, as it is built inside a mountain, making it a difficult target in case Israel or the US decide to launch an attack on Iran.

Iran has been enriching uranium up to a level of 20% – just short of what is considered a military level. Every effort to increase production in Fordo is expected to reduce the chances for a diplomatic solution to the nuclear crisis.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has yet to comment, but according to its last report, released in August, the number of centrifuges in Fordo has doubled, reaching 2,140.