An Iranian diplomat here Monday night rejected claims Iran is producing hexaflouride gas for military purposes. He told IRNA that the two tons of hexaflouride gas Iran produced was in connection with a research project and was not intended to fuel an atomic bomb. Speaking on condition of anonymity, the diplomat further said that all activities in Isfahan`s Uranium Conversion Facility (UCF) are under the supervision of International Atomic Energy Agency who make frequent visits to the sites and who monitor the activities to the last detail. He said Iran`s nuclear activities are actually within the scope of activities guaranteed to states under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and its Additional Protocol.

Aside from the personal supervision conducted by IAEA inspectors over activities of the Isfahan UCF, he said cameras have been installed in the site which would expose all activities inside including the production of suspect material for atomic bombs. Stressing that the production of hexaflouride was never a part of a program to produce atomic bombs, the diplomat reiterated that it was part of a research project to test the effectiveness of equipment installed in the factory. "Iran embarked on a series of experiments in coordination with the IAEA for a duration of almost one month," he said.

He stressed that Iran has no plans to produce hexaflouride and has halted production of U.F-6. He also remarked that Iran`s uranium enrichment program is only 3-5 effective and can only produce fuel needed by its nuclear power plant in Bushehr. The diplomat reiterated that all IAEA inspections conducted on Iran`s nuclear activities so far have proved that no activity is being carried out to produce nuclear weapons.