Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=2/22/04

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=IRAN NUCLEAR (L)

NUMBER=2-313348

BYLINE=PATRICIA NUNAN

DATELINE=TEHRAN

INTRO: Iran has admitted that it has acquired some components for its nuclear program from dealers in South Asia, but it stopped short of saying they were part of a nuclear proliferation ring led by Pakistan's top nuclear scientist. The Iranian government says it has reported all of its purchases to the International Atomic Energy Agency. V-O-A's Patricia Nunan has more from the Iranian capital.

TEXT: Iran acknowledged Sunday that it used dealers to acquire some of its nuclear technology. Foreign ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi says some of the middle-men in those arrangements were from, as he put it, "the Indian sub-continent."

/// ASEFI ACT ///

And we have reported in due time to [the International] Atomic Energy Agency.

/// END ACT ///

Iran maintains that it wants to make energy from its nuclear program, not weapons.

But the International Atomic Energy Agency, or I-A-E-A, has criticized Iran for not being more forthcoming about its nuclear facilities. The I-A-E-A says it has discovered Iran's plans for an advanced P-2 centrifuge used for enriching uranium. A more advanced design than the P-1 model Iran admits to having.

Mr. Asefi did not specify which components in Iran's nuclear program were purchased through illegal dealers and he said he did not know where the dealers had acquired the parts.

He also disputed the I-A-E-A's assertion that Iran had kept its centrifuge technology hidden.

/// 2ND ASEFI ACT ///

For the P-2 we had informed the I-A-E-A in due time, and as I said in my previous remarks today that was for research work, it was not utilized, and we reported to I-A-E-A in due time.

/// END ACT ///

Details about the South Asian nuclear proliferation ring have begun to emerge since a top Pakistani nuclear scientist, Abdul Qadeer Khan, admitted to leaking nuclear secrets to Iran, Libya, and North Korea.

The scope of the illegal network includes Malaysia, where a Sri Lankan businessman has confessed to selling three-million dollars worth of centrifuge technology to Iran in the 1990s. (signed)

NEB/TRANSCRIBED/KBK