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| Tehran 'steps up nuclear drive' | Tehran 'steps up nuclear drive' |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Iran has announced immediate plans to step up its nuclear programme, which Western nations fear could be used to make a bomb. | Iran has announced immediate plans to step up its nuclear programme, which Western nations fear could be used to make a bomb. |
| Its nuclear chief said Iran would start enriching uranium to 20% from Tuesday, and that 10 new uranium enrichment plants would be built in the next year. | Its nuclear chief said Iran would start enriching uranium to 20% from Tuesday, and that 10 new uranium enrichment plants would be built in the next year. |
| Ali Akbar Salehi said the enrichment would take place at Natanz, Iran's main uranium enrichment plant. | Ali Akbar Salehi said the enrichment would take place at Natanz, Iran's main uranium enrichment plant. |
| The move heightens fears Iran is moving closer to weapons-grade uranium. | The move heightens fears Iran is moving closer to weapons-grade uranium. |
| It comes amid growing tension with the West, which has criticised Iran for stalling on a deal over its enrichment programme. | It comes amid growing tension with the West, which has criticised Iran for stalling on a deal over its enrichment programme. |
| The latest development comes days before Iran celebrates the 31st anniversary of the Islamic revolution, which is expected to see pro- and anti-government demonstrations. | |
| Almost by the day, Iran is stepping up the pace of its nuclear confrontation with the West, says the BBC's Tehran correspondent, Jon Leyne. | |
| But if the aim is to have all 10 new plants running in a year, then it is almost laughably ambitious as it has taken many years to get Natanz, the first plant, running and it still has problems, he adds. | |
| This flurry of announcements reflects the turmoil faced by President Ahmadinejad's government ahead of the anniversary, our correspondent says. | |
| Witnesses say the situation in the Iranian capital Tehran is increasingly tense, with a series of checkpoints already set up across the city. |