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Iran's underground nuclear capacity keeps expanding: IAEA report

17 November 2012 04:48 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. Iran is further expanding its nuclear capacity by installing more centrifuges at an underground enrichment plant, a UN nuclear watchdog's latest report said on Friday, APA reports quoting Xinhua.

Nearly 2,800 centrifuges have been installed at the Fordow fuel enrichment plant, buried deep inside a mountainous region, near the city of Qom, an increase of about 644 centrifuges compared to previous report released in August.

The report, however, noted that there was no increase in the number of the centrifuges being operating, which was reported to be 700 in August.

Iran has obtained about 233 kg of 20 percent-enriched uranium, an increase of 43 kg since August this year. The uranium at this level can be turned into weapons grade relatively fast and easily.

The report also show concerns about the activities at Parchin site, a military base, where the UN investigations were banned by Iran, stressing that the ongoing activities at the site would seriously undermined IAEA's verification.

Diplomats feared that the increasing number of the centrifuges installed at Fordow enrichment site might lead to a sharp increase of monthly production of 20 percent enriched uranium in the next few months, which increases the West suspicion on Iran's nuclear plan.

Western nations have imposed severe sanctions on Iran to force the Islamic Republic to make a concession on the negotiating table.

The Iranian government denies the accusation of alleged nuclear ambitions, saying Tehran's nuclear program is only for peaceful purposes.