Iran: We Built Nuke Plant in Mountain in Case of Attack
Tehran takes hard line ahead of Geneva talks
Updated 3:45 PM EDT, Tue, Sep 29, 2009
The uranium enrichment plant President obama accused Iran of hiding is built inside a mountain next to a military site to ensure it stays online in the event of an attack, Iran's nuclear chief said.
Ali Akbar Salehi, who also heads the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, made the disclosure two days before the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council and Germany meet with Iran in Geneva. He said Iran will talk generally about nuclear technology in Geneva but will not give up its right to uranium enrichment and conversion, which the U.S. and its allies believe is aimed at producing weapons.
"We will never bargain over our sovereign right," said Salehi.
Obama's revelation that had been secretly under construction brought increased international pressure on Iran to come clean on its nuclear program. But Salehi said the country did not feel bound by a U.S. demand to allow the inspection within a month. He said the nuclear facility is next to a military compound of the Revolutionary Guard, Iran's most powerful military force, equipped with an air defense system.
Obama's administration is planning to push for new sanctions against Iran, targeting its energy, financial and telecommunications sectors if it does not comply with international demands to come clean about its nuclear program, according to U.S. officials.
Get more: MSNBC
First Published: Sep 29, 2009 2:41 PM EDT
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