Iran to break UN N-seals

Iranian technicians will break UN seals on the Isfahan nuclear plant Monday, allowing uranium processing to resume, a spokesman for Iran's Supreme National Security Council said.

Officials from the UN nuclear watchdog agency will supervise the removal of the United Nations seals, the first step toward restarting central Iran's Isfahan Nuclear Conversion Facility, said Ali Agha Mohammadi, spokesman for Iran's Supreme National Security Council, according to a report from the official IRNA news agency.

Reprocessing uranium is a step below uranium enrichment, which is to remain suspended, said Mohammadi. The United States claims the Iranian nuclear program is designed to produce atomic weapons, a claim that Iran denies.

New Iran Prez to revive N-plans

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work is to resume at the Isfahan plant, which converts uranium ore concentrate, known as yellowcake, into uranium gas, the feedstock for enrichment. Uranium enriched to high levels can be used for nuclear bombs; at low levels it is used as fuel for nuclear energy plants.

The European Union head office warned Iran on Monday that progress in EU-Iran trade talks were unlikely if Tehran resumes its nuclear program.

``We expect Iran to live up to the commitment'' made at nuclear talks in Paris, said European Commission spokesman Stefaan De Rynck.

``Progress in such an agreement is unlikely unless the Paris agreement has a successful follow-up.''