President Mahmoud Ahamdinejad announced Saturday that the Islamic Republic possesses 6000 centrifuges. The new figure is double the 3000 centrifuges Iran said it was operating in its uranium enrichment plant in Natanz. In April this year, Ahmadinejad said that Iran had begun installing 6000 centrifuges in Naranz. Saturday’s announcement s the first public statement that Iran has apparently reached its goal. The Iranian President’s statements is just one more act of defiance in response to demands by world powers in Geneva last week that Iran immediately halt its uranium enrichment program or face new sanctions. In response to the demands, Ahmadinejad has said the US, Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany have not asked the |slamic Republic to freeze uranium enrichment but not expand it beyond 6000 centrifuges. 07/26/08