Iran to Hold its own Nuclear Summit

Iran announced Saturday it will hold its own international nuclear disarmament summit just days after the United States hosts one in Washington.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Ramin Mehman-Parast, announced Saturday that Tehran will host the two-day summit next Saturday. State media report that representatives from 60 countries will take part.

The spokesman said Tehran will open a new way to rid the world of nuclear weapons.

The United States will host leaders from 47 nations during a two-day nuclear summit scheduled to begin on Monday.

Friday, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad unveiled a new generation of domestically-built centrifuges that can enrich uranium six times faster than its older ones.

In Washington, State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said the United States has to conclude that Iran has “nefarious intentions” in its nuclear activities, because a peaceful nuclear program would have no need for faster centrifuges.

International leaders believe Iran is trying to secretly develop nuclear weapons. Tehran says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only.

This week, six world powers began negotiations on a possible new round of U.N. Security Council sanctions against Tehran for its nuclear activities. Those nations include Germany and the five permanent council members – the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China. VOA