Iran feeds gas into 2nd atomic fuel network-ISNA

TEHRAN, Oct 27 (Reuters) Iran has injected gas into a new network of centrifuges, Iran's student news agency ISNA reported today, referring to part of an atomic programme the West fears is aimed at making bombs.

Uranium UF-6 gas is injected into cylindrical centrifuges which spin at supersonic speeds to produce enriched material. The centrifuges can enrich uranium for making fuel for power plants or for nuclear bombs.

ISNA quoted an ''informed source'' saying ''the injection of gas was carried out'' in the past week. ''We have obtained the product of the second cascade,'' the source said.

Diplomats said this week Iran had started ''dry testing'' a network of 164 centrifuges, known as cascades, to go with an original network that yielded Iran's first batch of enriched uranium suitable for power plant fuel.

ISNA had quoted an ''informed source'' on Wednesday confirming that a second cascade had been installed and said that injecting gas would be carried out in the next few days.

Iran says its nuclear programme is solely to meet electricity demands. But it has failed to convince world powers who are threatening United Nations sanctions.

Iran now faces possible sanctions for failing to halt its enrichment work, as demanded by the UN Security Council. A draft sanctions resolution has been drawn up by European states, but Russia has expressed its misgivings about the proposal.

REUTERS PDM RN1628