Iran Invites World, Save US, To Tour Nuclear Sites

Source: Associated Press

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) -- The Tehran government confirmed on Tuesday that it has invited world powers and its allies in the Arab and developing world - but apparently not chief critic the United States - to tour Iranian nuclear sites before a high-profile meeting late January on its disputed nuclear program.

The Associated Press reported the invitation to tour the facilities on Monday, citing a letter from a senior Iranian envoy that suggested the visit take place the weekend of Jan. 15 and 16.

A diplomat familiar with the invitation said the U.S. - the greatest critic of Iran's nuclear ambitions - and the other Western powers in the group were not invited, in an apparent attempt to split the six powers ahead of planned talks on Iran's nuclear program later this month.

An Iranian official speaking on condition of anonymity from a European capital said facilities to be visited include the nuclear enrichment facility at Natanz and the Arak site where Tehran is building a plutonium-producing heavy water reactor.

Both facilities are considered suspect by the West because they could be used to make the fissile core of nuclear warheads; Tehran's refusal to shut them down has triggered U.N. Security Council sanctions.

Read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/I/IRAN_NUCLEAR?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2011-01-04-10-59-53

:wtf: