Iran Will Not Destroy Centrifuges

Iranian President: We Will Not Destroy Centrifuges as Part of Nuclear Deal

by Noah Rothman | 12:38 pm, January 23rd, 2014

Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani recently sat down with CNN reporter and host Fareed Zakaria to discuss the terms of a tentative deal between his country and the United States which would persuade the Islamic Republic to abandon its pursuit of nuclear weapons. Iran confirmed this week that it had halted its centrifuges which enrich uranium as part of the agreement, but Rouhani confirmed that they had never agreed to dismantle those centrifuges.
“Iran will not accept this,” Rouhani said when asked if his country would “forego enrichment.”
“When it comes to nuclear technology, the Iranian people are very sensitive,” he continued. “It is a part of our national pride, and nuclear technology has become indigenous.”
“We are determined to provide for the nuclear fuel of such plants inside the country at the hands of local Iranian scientists,” Rouhani continued. “We’re going to follow on this path.”
“So, there will be no destruction of centrifuges?” Zakaria asked.
“No,” Rouhani replied. “Not at all.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif recently accused the White House of misrepresenting the terms of a nuclear deal to include the dismantling of the equipment used to enrich uranium for atomic weaponry.