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Iran May Run Centrifuges At Fortified Site

Iran May Run Centrifuges At Fortified Site

Iran may be allowed to keep a once-secret fortified bunker full of centrifuges as part of a deal over its nuclear programme, according to intriguing leaks from the negotiation process.

US officials are reportedly considering the proposal as talks with Teheran approach their self-imposed end-of-March deadline.

Negotiators are said to be considering a quid pro quo allowing Iran to keep hundreds of centrifuges at its Fordo facility in return for reducing the number of centrifuges at other locations.

The Fordo centrifuges would not be allowed to enrich uranium, but other elements like zinc and xenon could be processed for medical and other scientific research, officials with knowledge of the talks told the AP news agency.

Fordo has a short but controversial history. Its existence was revealed early in Barack Obama's presidency after western intelligence agencies had already discovered it.

The International Atomic Energy Agency criticised Iran for breaching an agreement to declare such facilities as they were being built.

Fordo symbolises Iran's record of concealing its nuclear programme say its critics - a record they say proves its nuclear ambitions are military in purpose.

Iran claims its programme is for civilian and peaceful ends only.

To produce a bomb, sufficient uranium must be enriched in a process that separates its different isotopes.

Israel claims Iran has enriched sufficient uranium to be only months away from being able to produce a nuclear bomb.

The US, Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany are negotiating with Iran over its alleged nuclear weapons programme and international sanctions.

Israel says the negotiations are heading towards a poor deal that could leave the international community powerless to stop Iran from developing the bomb.

Negotiating countries say an effective and binding agreement is within reach that would leave Iran with a nuclear industry for civilian purposes but prevent it from producing nuclear weapons.

Crucial in any deal will be the ability to inspect Iran's facilities and verify their use.

According to the latest reports, Fordo would be subject to regular inspections and other sites would be scaled back.