Iranian FM Dismisses US Charge of Building Secret Nuclear Facilities

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, December 15, 2002

Iranian FM Dismisses US Charge of Building Secret Nuclear Facilities

Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi on Saturday rejected US claims that it is constructing large nuclear facilities that could be used to develop weapons of mass destruction.

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Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi on Saturday rejected US claims that it is constructing large nuclear facilities that could be used to develop weapons of mass destruction.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran's activities in this field are totally transparent, clear and peaceful and there is no secret and obscure point on the launch of these plants in the future," Kharazi was cited by the official IRNA news agency as saying.

"Basically, there is no possibility of concealing such centers,"the minister added.

Citing unidentified US officials, CNN said Thursday satellites had spotted facilities that could be used for making nuclear weapons in Arak of Markazi Province and Natanz of Isfahan Province in Iran.

Reacting to the US charges, Kharazi said Iran had invited the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to inspect both the facilities.

"We have been in contacts with the IAEA over these two centers and we will also officially invite them for inspections since the agency must inspect them and carry out their necessary planning and supervision before the centers are implemented," Kharazi added.

Kharazi stressed that Iran had no plans for building nuclear weapons and "all its efforts in the nuclear energy field were intended for peaceful objectives."

He said Iran wanted the two centers to help meet part of its electricity needs.

Washington has been claiming that Iran, with Russian assistance, may use the centers to develop nuclear arms in the southern province of Bushehr.

Iran, however, has repeatedly announced that its nuclear activities are for civilian purposes and it has opened the facilities to regular IAEA supervision.

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