Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says his country is expanding its nuclear program, and is now capable of producing nuclear fuel on an industrial scale.
The announcement comes on the heels of a new U.N. Security Council resolution meant to pressure Iran to stop enriching uranium — a key step to making a nuclear bomb.
Iranian television showed an emotional-looking Ahmadinejad at a ceremony in Natanz, site of Iran's main enrichment facility, as he announced that Iran is expanding its enrichment capabilities to 3,000 centrifuges.
"From today, Iran has started mass production of the centrifuge needed for enrichment of uranium for industrial purposes," Ahmadinejad said.
The Iranian leader has always said the nuclear program is peaceful. But the United States and other permanent Security Council members say Iran needs to restore trust by giving up its enrichment program in exchange for help in developing nuclear power.
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