Ahmadinejad outlines nuclear expansion

TEHRAN, July 26 (UPI) -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says his country has nearly doubled the number of centrifuges it uses for enriching uranium to 6,000.

Ahmadinejad contends the production capacity growth of the past few months was accepted by the international community despite Iran facing United Nations sanctions regarding its nuclear program, the BBC reported Saturday.

The Iranian president's comments come as his government is said to be considering a halt in its nuclear enrichment program in return for the lifting of sanctions by the international community, the British broadcaster said.

Ahmadinejad has previously exaggerated his country's nuclear efforts in an apparent act of defiance, the BBC said.