Iran will tell the U.N. nuclear watchdog on Monday of its plans to enrich uranium to 20 percent, atomic chief Ali Akbar Salehi told state television on Sunday, adding that the process will begin on Tuesday.
"We will inform the IAEA in a letter tomorrow (Monday) of our intention to enrich uranium to 20 percent," Salehi told the Arabic-language Al-Alam television, referring to the International Atomic Energy Agency.
The higher enrichment will begin at the Natanz plant from the day after tomorrow (Tuesday)
"The higher enrichment will begin at the Natanz plant from the day after tomorrow (Tuesday)," he added. Natanz is in the central province of Isfahan.
Salehi's remarks came hours after hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad ordered him to begin higher uranium enrichment, raising the stakes in a dispute with the West days after seeming to accept a U.N. drafted nuclear deal.
Iranian officials have repeatedly said the Islamic Republic can make fuel enriched to 20 percent itself if there is no agreement on obtaining the material from abroad.
We had told them to come and have a swap, although we could produce the 20 percent enriched fuel ourselves
"We had told them (the West) to come and have a swap, although we could produce the 20 percent enriched fuel ourselves," said in a speech at an exhibition on laser technology which was broadcast live on state television.
"We gave them two-to-three months' time for such a deal. They started a new game and now I (ask) Dr Salehi to start work on the production of 20 percent fuel using centrifuges," he said, referring to Ali Akbar Salehi, who heads the atomic energy body.
But he added: "The doors for interaction are still open."
Ahmadinejad also said Iran had the capability to enrich uranium using laser technology, without elaborating.
On Saturday, the United States and Germany said they saw no sign Tehran would make concessions on its nuclear program, despite upbeat comments from Iran's foreign minister over prospects for a deal.
An accord on exchanging fuel could mark a breakthrough in the long-running dispute over Iran's nuclear program, which the West fears could be used to produce an atomic bomb.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast told ISNA news agency on Sunday: "Iran's stance on the nuclear fuel swap has not changed. Iran is still ready to do such an exchange and if the other side is ready we can negotiate over the details of such a deal."
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