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Iran 'steps up nuclear programme' Iran 'steps up nuclear programme'
(30 minutes later)
Iran has pushed ahead with plans to enrich uranium by injecting gas into a second cascade of centrifuges, an Iranian news agency reports. Iran says it has taken another step in its uranium enrichment programme, in defiance of international pressure.
The semi-official Isna agency quoted an unnamed source as saying the second cascade's "product" had been obtained. It has activated a second set of centrifuges - the machines used to enrich uranium - the semi-official Isna agency has reported.
Isna earlier reported that Iran had installed a new cascade - the first consisted of 168 centrifuges.
A BBC correspondent says Iran would need tens of thousands of centrifuges to make industrial-scale nuclear fuel.A BBC correspondent says Iran would need tens of thousands of centrifuges to make industrial-scale nuclear fuel.
Iran has failed to convince the US and other Western states that its enrichment work is only aimed at generating electricity, and not acquiring nuclear weapons. The UN Security Council is to debate sanctions after Iran failed to meet an August deadline to stop enrichment.
The UN Security Council is preparing to debate sanctions after Iran failed to meet an August deadline to stop enriching uranium. Iran has not convinced the US and other Western states that its enrichment work is only aimed at generating electricity, and not acquiring nuclear weapons.
There is no doubt that the use of the second cascade of centrifuges will be seen as an act of defiance by the international community at what is a sensitive time, the BBC's Frances Harrison reports from Tehran.
'No secret''No secret'
The Iranian agency's source said the second cascade had been installed two weeks ago with the knowledge of UN nuclear inspectors. The Iranian report suggested that scientists had injected gas into the second cascade.
Isna quoted its unnamed source as saying the second cascade's "product" had been obtained.
The source said the second cascade had been installed two weeks ago with the knowledge of UN nuclear inspectors.
"The International Atomic Energy Agency has been fully aware of the issue and the inspectors are present in Iran," the source said."The International Atomic Energy Agency has been fully aware of the issue and the inspectors are present in Iran," the source said.
Centrifuges are machines used to enrich uranium by spinning it in gas form. Iran's first cascade, consisting of 168 centrifuges, produced a small quantity of enriched uranium in February.
The first cascade produced a small quantity of enriched uranium in February.
Iran has said it plans to install 3,000 centrifuges at its nuclear site in Natanz by the end of this year.Iran has said it plans to install 3,000 centrifuges at its nuclear site in Natanz by the end of this year.