Iran calls 84% uranium enrichment allegation a ‘conspiracy’

By JON GAMBRELL
Associated Press

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iranian state television has offered an extended defense against an accusation attributed to international inspectors that it enriched uranium to 84% purity. An official interviewed by state TV’s English-language arm Press TV called it part of a “conspiracy” against Tehran amid tensions over its nuclear program. Behrouz Kamalvandi, a spokesman for Iran’s civilian nuclear program, sought to portray any detection of uranium particles enriched to that level as a momentary side effect of trying to reach a finished product of 60% purity — which Tehran already has announced producing. However, uranium at 84% is at nearly weapons-grade levels of 90%, raising tensions further over Iran’s program.