Broken Seals

The nuclear situation in Iran heightens today with the removal of UN-placed seals on their nuclear plants. This symbolic and practical act will allow Iran to pursue a nuclear program. They assert that the program's intention is to bolster Iran's energy supply with nuclear energy.

Iran said today that seals had been removed from uranium-converting equipment at its plant in Isfahan, and that activities there would resume.

The deputy director of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, Mohammad Saeedi, told Reuters that Iran had received permission from the United Nations nuclear monitoring agency to remove the seals.

"Some minutes ago we received a letter from the I.A.E.A. authorizing Iran to remove the seals at Isfahan plant," Mr. Saeedi was quoted as saying, referring to the International Atomic Energy Agency.

"Two hours ago the installation of surveillance cameras finished," he said. "The I.A.E.A. inspectors will oversee the removal of seals."

Removing the Isfahan seals, which were put in place last year by the United Nations agency under a voluntary agreement, means that Iran will be able to resume the second phase of the uranium conversion process, which Iran says it is pursuing for its civilian nuclear program.

Production remains suspended on the more sensitive part of Iran's nuclear fuel program, the uranium enrichment plant at Natanz, a plant that Tehran kept secret for about two decades years until it was revealed in 2002.