Russia has no evidence of Iran’s technological breakthrough to industrial-scale uranium enrichment

April 11, 2007, 4:09 PM (GMT+02:00)

The foreign ministry spokesman in Moscow was commenting on announcements from Tehran Monday. Regarding chief nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani’s claim that Iran had built 3,000 centrifuges for enriching uranium, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said Tuesday he did not believe they were yet in full operation.

DEBKAfile’s intelligence sources disclosed Monday that Iran has not managed to install more than 1000 centrifuges, and possibly less, for lack of progress in overcoming technical snags.

Also Monday, Iranian state TV announced Revolutionary Guard Gen. Mohammad Baqer Zolqadr had demonstrated the “ineffectiveness” of UN sanctions by spending six days in Moscow in defiance of the international ban on his travel. The Russians confirmed this. The general is listed with 15 individuals, whose visits all governments are required to ban.

Larijani also said his country was willing to negotiate with the West and offer assurances that its program is peaceful. But he said the West must accept its nuclear program as a fact. “If we stand strong, they will back off,” he remarked.