In response to the Iranian President's announcement yesterday that further centrifuges were to be installed at the country's uranium enrichment facility in Natanz, Federal Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier today (9 April) issued the following statement in Berlin:

"I view the Iranian President's announcement with grave concern. It signifies a clear rejection by Tehran of the demands made by the United Nations Security Council. To take any such step would make resolving the conflict even more difficult.

I appeal to the Iranian leadership to take the concerns of the international community seriously and at long last suspend enrichment. Only a cooperative approach can restore lost confidence and pave the way for negotiations."