Iran has not slowed atomic work, president says

TEHRAN, Aug 28 (Reuters) President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad today denied reports that Iran had slowed down its atomic work, which the West fears is aimed at making nuclear bombs.

''These (reports) are not true,'' Ahmadinejad said in response to a question at a news conference.

Diplomats in Vienna have said Iran's atomic work seems to have slowed in pace this summer and Tehran appeared to have fewer than the 3,000 centrifuges, used in enriching uranium, it planned to have working by the end of July.

Ahmadinejad, voicing continued defiance in the face of Western demands that it suspend sensitive nuclear work, said Iran was now a nuclear country and was mastering the complete nuclear fuel cycle.

''I want to officially announce to you that from our viewpoint the issue of Iran's nuclear case has been closed, today Iran is a nuclear Iran, meaning that it has the complete cycle for fuel production,'' he said.

Iran says its nuclear programme is aimed solely at generating electricty so that it can export more of its gas and oil.

REUTERS MS BST2108