Defiant Iran boosts nuclear programme

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Iran is to build 10 new uranium enrichment plants, in a major expansion of its nuclear programme and a clear show of defiance against the UN.

The decision by hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's government will further aggravate tensions between the Islamic Republic and major powers seeking a diplomatic solution to a long-running dispute over Iranian nuclear activities.

It may speed up discussions in the West about possible new sanctions on Iran over its repeated refusal to halt uranium enrichment, which the United States and its allies suspect is part of a covert bid to develop nuclear bombs. Iran denies this.

The new enrichment facilities would be the same size as Iran's main enrichment complex at Natanz and work would begin within two months, state broadcaster IRIB said.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) angered Iran on Friday when it censured the Islamic Republic for secretly building a second uranium enrichment plant, in addition to the one in Natanz.

"This is the reaction to the resolution which was bound to happen," a senior diplomat close to the IAEA said, adding that it was unclear how much of it was bluff or a real plan.

Ahmadinejad said Iran should aim to produce 250-300 tonnes of nuclear fuel a year and that new, faster centrifuges should be used to reach that target. He did not give a time frame.

"We have a friendly approach towards the world but at the same time we won't let anyone harm even one iota of the Iranian nation's rights," he said.

"We have to reach to a level to produce 250-300 tonnes of nuclear fuel per year and in order to reach this aim we would use new centrifuges with a higher speed," the president said.

Ali Akbar Salehi, head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation, said, according to the semi-official Mehr News Agency: "Ten new enrichment plants will be built."

IRIB said the location of five the plants had already been decided and that work on these should start within two months. At the same time, the Atomic Energy Organisation should find suitable location for other five.

It did not say when the plants would be completed.

Ahmadinejad also said the government last week studied the issue of producing nuclear fuel enriched to 20 percent, IRIB reported, compared with the level of 3.5 percent it has now.

Estimates vary, but proliferation experts say 1000-1700 kg of low-enriched uranium, if converted into high-enriched uranium, would be enough to make a bomb.

- Reuters