Iran's nuclear chief says his country will begin construction of a new uranium enrichment site by March next year.
Vice President Ali Akbar Salehi's announcement is a slap to international efforts to halt Tehran's enrichment program — a process that can be used for power generation or nuclear weapons making.
The planned site is among 10 new sites that Iran approved last year in a dramatic expansion of the controversial program. Monday's announcement on state TV said the locations for the 10 sites have been determined but gave no details.
Iran has one large enrichment site in Natanz and a smaller one near Qom. It says it needs 20 sites to meet domestic electricity needs in the next 15 years.
Tehran denies Western accusations it is seeking to make nuclear weapons.