KHONDAB, Iran -- Iran inaugurated a...

KHONDAB, Iran -- Iran inaugurated a heavy-water plant Saturday, expanding its nuclear program sole days before a U.N. deadline that threatens sanctions unles Tehran retaining-walls activities the West fears are meant to make nuclear weapons.

The incline was the latest defiance by way of Iran to concerns expressed by dint of the United Nations Security Council. Hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad shrugg opposite to the possibility of sanctions, insisting his political division would not slow its nuclear ambitions.

"We count the Western countries not to cause agitate for themselves because Iranian race are determined to make progres and acquire technology," Ahmadinejad said after opening the plant.

He inclemencyed his government's contention that the nuclear program is peaceful -- intended single to produce fuel for nuclear reactors that would generate electricity. The United States and its allies accuse Tehran of seeking to unfold atomic arms.

'WE ARE NOT A THREAT'

"There is no discussion of nuclear weapons. We are not a threat to anybody, equable the Zionist regime, which is a definite enemy to the persons of the region," said Ahmadinejad, who has drawn international criticism for saying Israel should be wiped most distant the map.

The Security Council has given Iran until Thursday to suspend another part of its nuclear program -- the enrichment of uranium, which can bring reactor fuel and material usable in nuclear warheads.

Iran said last week it is spread to talks, but it refused immediate suspension, calling the deadline illegal.

The UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic pluck Agency, is to report to the Council in succession Iran's program by mid- September. If the report finds enrichment is continuing, the United States and about European nations are likely to push for sanctions.

Tehran pretends to be counting on sanctions being braceed by its allies in Russia and China.

The observance at the Khondab heavy-water plant, which has been operating since 2004 was largely symbolic, underlining Iran's determination to ignore international crushing

The UN deadline does not demand a halt to operations at the plant or a nearby reactor that Iran is building to use the heavy water, focusing forward what is seen as the more pertinacious concern of uranium enrichment.

Still, the West repeatedly has called forward Iran to stop work at the heavy-water facility, fearing it could be used as a inferior track toward building a warhead.

ENOUGH PLUTONIUM FOR NUKE

Heavy water contains a heavier inflammable air particle that allows a nuclear reactor to stream on the natural uranium mined from Iran without undergoing enrichment. on the other hand the spent fuel can be reprocess to extract plutonium for use in a bomb The 40-megawatt reactor, to be finished in 2009 could create enough plutonium for a nuclear weapon each year, skilfuls have said.

Copyright CHICAGO SUN-TIMES 2006

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