IRAN has begun uranium enrichment at a new underground site well protected from possible airstrikes, in another show of defiance against Western pressure to rein in its nuclear programme.

Iran has begun uranium enrichment at a new underground site protected from possible airstrikes, a leading hardline newspaper reported today.

A pair of gunmen firing from motorcycles killed an Iranian physicist involved in the country's disputed nuclear programme today in an attack similar to other recent assassinations of scientists which Tehran has blamed on the US and Israel.

Iran insisted today that its nuclear project was not affected by a mystery computer virus attack.

Iran unveiled a third generation of domestically built centrifuges today as the country pushed ahead with plans to accelerate a uranium enrichment programme that has alarmed world powers fearful of Tehran’s nuclear aims.

The US, Russia and France said today that Iran’s project to enrich uranium to a higher degree is raising fresh concerns about its nuclear intentions.

THE Pentagon said yesterday that the US wanted a UN Security Council resolution “within weeks” to tackle Iran’s nuclear programme as Iran said it had begun making higher-grade nuclear fuel.

Iran started enriching its uranium to a higher level today, according to state TV, defying the concerns of the international community.

Iran today told the UN nuclear agency that it will start enriching uranium to higher levels, shrugging off international fears that such a move will bring it closer to being able to make nuclear warheads.

THE Iranian government approved a plan yesterday to build 10 new uranium enrichment facilities, a dramatic expansion indefiance of UN demands to halt the programme.

The Iranian government approved a plan tonight to build 10 new uranium enrichment facilities, a dramatic expansion in defiance of UN demands it halt the programme.

Iran today began large-scale air defence war games aimed at protecting its nuclear facilities from attack.

IRAN yesterday said it would refuse to discuss a newly declared nuclear plant at forthcoming international talks and cautioned Western powers it could curb co-operation further if they repeated “past mistakes”.

IRAN yesterday tested its most advanced missiles to cap two days of war games, raising more international concern and stronger pressure to come clean on the newly revealed nuclear site Tehran was secretly constructing.

US President Barack Obama, Britain's Prime Minister Gordon Brown and French President Nicolas Sarkozy have joined forces to accuse Iran of concealing a covert nuclear plant, and to warn Iran of sanctions unless the issue is resolved.

Iran has disclosed the existence of a second uranium enrichment plant, government officials said today.

The UN nuclear watchdog is locked in a “stalemate” with Iran over the country’s suspect nuclear programme, the agency’s chief said today, pressing Tehran to answer lingering questions about its atomic ambitions.

BALLISTIC missiles could be Israel’s weapon of choice against Iranian nuclear facilities if it decides on a pre-emptive attack and deems air strikes too risky, according to a report by a Washington think-tank.

Iran today announced it was testing its first nuclear power station, adding to fears over its long-term atomic ambitions.

United Nations efforts to investigate claims that Iran tried to make nuclear arms have run into a dead end, with Tehran steadfastly blocking efforts to probe the accusations, the International Atomic Energy Agency said.

Iran today announced a massive increase in its capacity to produce enriched uranium that can be used in nuclear weapons.

An Iranian official said today that the Islamic republic has increased its production to more than 300 tons of a gas used for uranium enrichment, a semi-official news agency reported.

A delegation from the UN’s nuclear watchdog arrived in Tehran today to discuss future inspections of Iran’s uranium enrichment facilities, the official Islamic Republic News Agency reported.

With the threat of new UN sanctions looming over Iran, senior European officials met an envoy from Tehran, in what officials described as an attempt to defuse the crisis over the Islamic republic’s refusal to scrap uranium enrichment.

Iran’s hard-line president stepped up efforts to pry Gulf countries from their strong US alliance, urging them to push out the American military from bases in the region.

A stand-off pitting Iran against most others delegations at a 130-nation nuclear conference deepened today, with organisers adjourning the third straight session in as many days without breaking a deadlock over the language of the meeting’s agenda.

Top negotiators from Iran are to meet representatives of the major powers seeking to halt parts of its nuclear programme for the first time since February, a European Union official said today.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said today that Iran to step up its nuclear development even further if additional UN sanctions are implemented, the country's state broadcaster reported.

Iran today announced plans to build two more nuclear power plants despite international pressures to curb its controversial nuclear programme.

Iran said today that it was prepared to start “industrial-scale” enrichment of uranium, expanding a key nuclear process that the United Nations has demanded it halt.

Iran’s leadership was today furious over Russia’s refusal to ship fuel for its first nuclear power plant, signalling a possible break in a long-time alliance that has helped protect Tehran from tough UN sanctions.

Iran’s foreign minister today denied the claim of the UN nuclear chief that his country had temporarily slowed its nuclear programme.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad vowed that Iran would not give up uranium enrichment but otherwise steered clear of making fiery statements during celebrations on the 28th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution.

Iranians poured into the streets today to mark the 28th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution as part of an event that also is widely seen as a national referendum on Iran’s disputed nuclear program.

Hundreds of workers in Iran have set up piping, control panels and electric cables for Tehran’s underground uranium enrichment plant, diplomats said yesterday.

Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad today launched anniversary celebrations for Iran’s Islamic Revolution with a defiant promise to push ahead with the country’s controversial nuclear programme.

Iran says it needs time to review a plan proposed by the head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog agency in which it will hold off on imposing sanctions if Tehran suspends uranium enrichment.

An Iranian nuclear agency chief has denied claims made by a top governor that the Islamic republic had begun installing 3,000 centrifuges at an uranium enrichment plant, it was reported today.

Iran is currently installing 3,000 centrifuges, a top Iranian governor said today in an announcement underlining that Iran will continue its nuclear programme despite UN sanctions.

Iran plans to start installing thousands of centrifuges in an underground facility next month, UN officials said in Switzerland today.

Iran said today that it is currently installing 3,000 centrifuges, effectively confirming that its nuclear program is running behind schedule as these devices for uranium enrichment were to have been in place by the end of last year.

Two inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency arrived in Iran tonight to inspect the Islamic republic’s nuclear facilities, the country’s official news agency said.

Iran's top nuclear negotiator said the country will push forward immediately with efforts to enrich uranium after the UN Security Council imposed sanctions designed to stop the nuclear efforts, a newspaper reported today.

THE UN nuclear agency’s 35-nation board yesterday denied Iran technical help in building a plutonium-producing reactor, but left room for Tehran to resubmit its request.