Iran set for 'industrial-scale uranium enrichment'

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.

The announcement came as Iran celebrated its first success in enriching small amounts of uranium at its facility in Natanz.

“Now we are entering the mass production of centrifuges and starting to launch industrial scale enrichment, another step toward the flourishing of Islamic Iran,” Vice President Gholamreza Aghazadeh said at a ceremony at Natanz.

Mr Aghazadeh, who heads Iran’s Atomic Energy Organisation, did not elaborate.

Industrial-scale enrichment is the term Iran uses to mean a capability to produce greater levels of nuclear fuel – which would suggest that Iran has increased the number of centrifuges working at Natanz.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was expected to speak later at the ceremonies and announce “good nuclear news,” according to state-run TV.

The Iranian press has speculated that he will announce the installation of 3,000 centrifuges at Natanz.

AP