TEHRAN, May 9 -- Iran said it has converted 37 tons of raw uranium into hexafluoride gas, its first acknowledgment of advances made in the production process for enriched uranium before it formally suspended nuclear activity in November under international pressure.
The announcement, which means Tehran would be in a position to quickly start enriching uranium if it lifts the suspension, comes as European negotiators are trying to seal an agreement to ensure that Iran's nuclear program does not produce weapons.
Enriched uranium is useful in the generation of electricity, which is permitted under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, but it can also be turned into nuclear weapons. Iran insists its program has only peaceful purposes.
Iran processed the uranium ore concentrate into UF-4 gas before halting enrichment-related activities, said Mohammad Saeedi, deputy head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran. If processed further, into UF-6 gas, the material could be fed into centrifuges and enriched.
France, Britain and Germany, which are negotiating on behalf of the European Union, had agreed before the November suspension that Iran could finish processing the 37 tons of raw uranium into hexafluoride gas.
