Published: 29 November, 2012, 03:18

A general view of a heavy water plant in Arak, 320 kms south of Tehran (AFP Photo / Atta Kenare)

Tehran is set to sharply boost the number of centrifuges they use to produce nuclear fuel, the country’s nuclear energy chief has announced. This comes amid harsh Western sanctions and high tensions over Iran’s nuclear program.

“Despite sanctions, we will most likely see a substantial increase in the number of centrifuge machines this year. We will continue enrichment with intensity,” the head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, Fereydoun Abbasi-Davani, said on Wednesday, as quoted by state TV. The Iranian calendar year continues till March 20.

Abbasi-Davani did not elaborate whether the Islamic Republic would step up work at 5 per cent fuel enrichment or the higher 20 per cent quality. Five per cent enriched uranium is used to produce fuel for reactors, whilst a higher grade of enrichment is needed to build nuclear weapons, which makes up the core of the West’s concerns about Iran.