Iranian nuclear program

TEHRAN, Feb. 8 (UPI) -- Iran notified U.N. officials that Tehran plans to increase the number of its nuclear processing facilities and further enrich uranium.

The announcement delivered Monday to the International Atomic Energy Agency heightens fears that Iran is using its nuclear program to develop nuclear weapons. Tehran has denied that was the goal of the program.

Iran stated its intentions to refine uranium to 20 percent and add 10 enrichment facilities in the next year, with the announcement coming just ahead of its annual celebrations to mark 1979's Islamic Revolution.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad recently said Tehran would have an important nuclear announcement at the revolution's anniversary. It is unclear whether this is what he meant or if Iran has further nuclear news to make.

Iranian authorities may be trying to get ahead of the news cycle and build populist support since this year's revolution celebrations will likely include a continuation of anti-government demonstrations that have occurred sporadically since the disputed June election that ended in Ahmadinejad getting a second term as president.

Uranium needs to be refined to about 4 percent to be used for nuclear power reactors and must be refined 90 percent to be able to be used in a nuclear bomb. Iran currently refines uranium to about 3.5 percent.

Western powers, including the United States, are weighing additional economic sanctions against Tehran for the Iranian leadership's failure to be fully open about its nuclear program.