The FINANCIAL — According to RIA Novosti, Iran plans to build ten new uranium enrichment facilities, the Islamic Republic's state television reported on November 29.
It said Iran's government instructed the country's nuclear organization to start building five new plants and outline locations for another five within two months.
Iran's parliament on Sunday demanded that the government reduce cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency following Friday's resolution by the UN nuclear watchdog condemning Iran's work to build a new nuclear power plant.
The IAEA passed on Friday its first resolution since early 2006, censuring Iran for withholding information on its controversial nuclear program, and urging it to freeze construction of its newly revealed uranium enrichment facility in Qom.
The Iranian lawmakers condemned the IAEA resolution and urged the government to quickly draft a plan to reduce cooperation level with the UN nuclear watchdog, local media reported.
Of the 35-member IAEA Board of Governors, 25 countries voted for the resolution. Venezuela, Malaysia, and Cuba voted against, and six abstained. Azerbaijan missed the ballot.
The resolution was endorsed by Germany, Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States, the six nations involved in long-running nuclear negotiations with Iran.
Director General Mohamed ElBaradei told the IAEA board of governors on November 26 that his inquiry into allegations that Iran is seeking to build nuclear weapons had reached "a dead end" as Tehran was not cooperating.
Tehran is already under three sets of UN sanctions for refusing to halt uranium enrichment. Iran insists it needs nuclear technology to generate electricity, claiming the right under the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty.
Russia and China have so far blocked UN Security Council votes on tougher sanctions against the country. However, at a recent meeting in Brussels they joined the other negotiators in voicing dismay at a lack of progress in the negotiations.
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