Published 00:00 26.02.07
Latest update 00:00 26.02.07

Chronology of Iran's nuclear program

By Reuters

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The following is a chronology of events since Iran's nuclear program, which it says is purely peaceful but which the West fears is attempting to produce nuclear weapons, first came to light.

August 2002 - Exiled opposition National Council of Resistance of Iran reports uranium enrichment facility at Natanz and heavy water plant at Arak.

June 2003 - IAEA report says Iran failed to comply with nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

December 2003 - Iran signs protocol allowing snap inspections of nuclear facilities.

February 2005 - President Mohammad Khatami says no Iranian government will give up nuclear technology program.

September 2 - IAEA report confirms Iran has resumed uranium conversion at Isfahan.

January 10, 2006 - Iran removes UN seals at Natanz enrichment plant and resumes nuclear fuel research.

February 4 - IAEA votes to report Iran to UN Security Council. Iran ends U.N. inspections the next day. Ten days later Iran restarts small-scale feeding of uranium gas into centrifuges.

March 8 - IAEA report to Security Council says it cannot verify Iran's atomic activities are peaceful.

April 11 - Iran says it has produced low-grade enriched uranium suitable for use in power stations; IAEA confirms this.

April 28 - IAEA report to the Security Council confirms Iran has flouted council demands to suspend enrichment.

July 31 - Security Council demands Iran suspend nuclear activities by Aug. 31. Council makes first legally-binding demands in resolution and threatens sanctions.

Aug. 31 - IAEA announces Iran has not met deadline to suspend programme and has resumed enriching uranium.

Sept. 26 - Russia and Iran agree start-up date of September 2007 for Iran's first nuclear power station at Bushehr.

Nov. 14 - Confidential IAEA report says Iran still enriching uranium and stalling investigations despite risk of sanctions. Report says Iran has started experimental chain of 164 linked centrifuges, feeding uranium gas into them for enrichment.

Dec. 23 - Security Council votes for sanctions and gives 60 days to suspend enrichment. Iran calls resolution illegal measure.

Jan. 22, 2007 - Iran bars entry to 38 IAEA inspectors after hardliners demand retaliation for sanctions.

Feb. 19 - Russia announces delay in work at Bushehr, citing non-payments worth $73.75 million.

Feb. 20 - Chief negotiator Ali Larijani says Iran will give guarantees there will be no deviation towards nuclear weapons.

Feb. 21 - A 60-day grace period to stop enrichment expires.

Feb. 22 - IAEA says Iran has installed two cascades of 164 centrifuges in Natanz with another two almost completed. These cascades represent efforts to expand research-level enrichment of nuclear fuel into "industrial scale" production.

Feb. 26 - Major world powers agree to begin work on a new UN Security Council resolution on Iran over its nuclear program.

	Iran's uranium enrichment facility in Natanz, south of Tehran. (AP)

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war
- paulo2005
- 27.02.07
- 17:01
Probably there will be war. Iran will not renounce the bomb. Israel is convinced it cannot afford a nuclear Iran. There is no compromise possible. Iran cant have an half bomb. The conflict is unavoiable. I am very pessimistic. For decades Iran prepared itself for a confrontation.(And its a huge country ).
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