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Iran Unveils More Powerful Centrifuges

   VOA News 09 April 2010
   Iran's   President   Mahmoud  Ahmadinejad,  after  unveiling  a  third
   generation of domestically built centrifuge, 09 Apr 2010

Photo: AP

   Iran's   President   Mahmoud  Ahmadinejad,  after  unveiling  a  third
   generation of domestically built centrifuge, 09 Apr 2010

   Iran's  president  unveiled  a new generation of  centrifuges used to
   enrich   uranium   Friday,   defying  international  warnings  against
   continuing its sensitive nuclear work.
   Mr.  Ahmadinejad displayed one of the new, domestically-built machines
   Friday,  saying  international efforts to pressure Iran on its nuclear
   program will be met with even more resistance. Â
   The announcement marked Iran's National Nuclear Day.
   Also  Friday,  U.S.  President Barack Obama said there is no guarantee
   that  new  U.N.  sanctions  will  persuade  Iran  to  change  course.Â
   However,   he   added,  with  "consistent  and  steady"  international
   pressure,  Iran may eventually realize pursuing nuclear weapons is not
   worth the cost.
   During  an  interview  with  ABC  news,  Mr. Obama said Iran is "not a
   stupid  regime"  and  is  intently  watching  what is happening in the
   international community.
   Thursday,  six world powers began negotiations on a possible new round
   of  U.N.  Security  Council  sanctions  against Tehran for its nuclear
   activities. Â
   The  world powers are Germany and the five permanent council members -
   the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China.
   Iranian state media reported Friday that the new centrifuges are twice
   as  powerful  as  its  older  ones.  The centrifuges are used to spin
   uranium  gas  at  extremely  high  speeds,  causing  its more purified
   elements  to  separate  from  the  rest.   The process can be used to
   produce weapons-grade nuclear material.
   World  powers  believe  Iran  is  secretly  trying  to develop nuclear
   weapons, a charge it denies.

   Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.
   

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