Tehran is unrelenting and after the bomb explosions in New Delhi and Bangkok had barely subsided on Wednesday when Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad dropped another bombshell by showcasing the country’s advancements in nuclear technology — a move seen as Tehran’s determination to precipitate a confrontation with the West.
Iran’s claim that it has achieved major advances in its programme to master production of nuclear fuel is being seen as a defiant move in response to increasingly tough Western sanctions over its controversial nuclear programme.
Showcasing its nuclear prowess, President Ahmadinejad unveiled on state television what was described as Iran’s first domestically produced 20- percent enriched nuclear fuel for Tehran’s research reactor.
He said 3,000 more centrifuges had been added to his country’s uranium enrichment effort, and officials said new- generation, high- capacity centrifuges had been installed in Iran’s Natanz facility.
All this was shown live on state owned English broadcaster Press TV to accentuate the effect.
Using a split screen to show the nuclear rod placement even as he was speaking, it sent shockwaves in the hearts and minds of the western world.
Crude oil prices were virtually talked up with this war mongering scenario, ending at a six month high of $ 120 per barrel.
Ahmadinejad also said that uranium exploration in Iran had been stepped up and a new yellowcake processing factory would be pre- launched next month. And he ordered Iran to build four more nuclear research reactors.
The Iranian President then went on to attack the Western countries for their “ double talk”. “ These are the countries which are stocking nuclear piles but preaching others against it,” he said.
Wednesday’s event caused even more concern coming as it did alongside Iran’s warning that it could cut oil sales to six EU countries in a further show of resistance to international pressure.
The warning was in retaliation to an EU ban on Iranian oil imports that is being phased in as existing contracts expire up to July 1.
In India, the developments were seen more as an exercise in building Iranian national resolve to stand up to economic sanctions.
At the same time, experts said, the move will result in further Western pressure on India to downgrade its diplomatic ties with Iran.
“ President Ahmadinejad’s speech was essentially aimed at domestic audience at a time when Iran is coming under more sanctions.
All it meant was that Iran is now able to make centrifuges domestically. His speech and Iranian action was not aimed at showcasing Iranian nuclear weapons.
Iranian stand was a sign that Tehran was ready to stand up to global pressure,” former foreign secretary Lalit Man Singh said.
“ After Tehran’s action today, the US is expected to bring more pressure on India on downgrading its ties with Iran. But we have so far taken a credible and commendable stand and we should continue with that,” he added.
According to former foreign secretary Kanwal Sibal, Iran’s move is strategic and it should not lead to any change in India’s policy.
“ Iran’s defiance is both political and technological. That Western sanctions will not deter Iran was made clear by Ahmadinejad. It was a stern message for the US and the West,” Sibal said.
He stressed that India should resist pressure to change the balance in its relationship with Iran.
“ While the President’s speech was aimed at domestic audience, it will bring more pressure on countries like India which wants to follow a balanced policy… India cannot support the Western ambition of a regime- change in Iran,” Sibal said.
“ Any such change must be driven democratically by the Iranians themselves. Our ties with Iran are beyond this regime and long standing which are rooted in strategic sphere. We should not change our policy, which is anyway limited, vis- à- vis Iran,” he added.
Significantly, the chest- thumping by the Iranians was accompanied by China defending its bilateral “ economic interests” with Iran. “ China does not want to see Iran develop nuclear weapons but intends to pursue its legitimate economic interests despite Western sanctions on the Islamic republic,” an official said. China also asserted that it was not in favour of unilateral sanctions against Iran.
The Russians, at the same time, seemed a trifle worried. “ We are concerned that the distance that separates Iran from the hypothetical possession of technologies to create nuclear weapons is contracting,” Russian deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov said.
Natanz is Iran’s central facility for uranium enrichment, with 7,000 operational centrifuges. This is the facility at the heart of Iran’s dispute with the UN Security Council. The UNSC is concerned since the technology used for producing fuel for nuclear power can be used to enrich uranium to a much higher level to produce a nuclear explosion.