TEHRAN - A defiant Iran said on Saturday its controversial uranium enrichment programme was progressing “very strongly,” as it opened the doors of two of its nuclear sites to foreign diplomats.The declaration by foreign minister and atomic chief Ali Akbar Salehi came just days ahead of a high-profile meeting between Tehran and six world powers over the Islamic republic’s nuclear programme. Salehi’s remarks were also a reaction to a comment by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that Iran’s nuclear programme was being hampered by international sanctions.
“The recent sanctions did not create any problems for our nuclear activities,” Salehi told a news conference broadcast on state television from the central city of Arak. “Our nuclear activities are going forward strongly. Our activities, especially in (uranium) enrichment, are also continuing very strongly ... The production of enriched uranium is growing.”
Iran currently has around 3,200 kilogrammes (7,000 pounds) of uranium enriched to 3.5 percent level, and nearly 40 kilogrammes of the material refined to 20 percent level.