Iran enrichment program said slow

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UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 29 (UPI) -- The U.N. nuclear watchdog agency is about to issue a report stating upgrades at Iran's underground nuclear program have gone slowly, sources told The Guardian.

Set to be released Thursday, the International Atomic Energy Agency report is expected to say Iran has increased equipment at an underground uranium enrichment plant, but has not started using the machinery to produce nuclear fuel, the British newspaper said.

The Guardian said the IAEA report will say more than 300 centrifuges have been set up at the fortified cavern at Fordow, near Qom, but are not yet operating, and the rate of uranium production has not risen since the last report in May.

The Fordow site is especially sensitive, The Guardian reported, because the centrifuges are being used to make 20 percent-enriched uranium -- which could be used for medical research but could be further enriched to become weapons grade. Fordow's heavy defenses also would make it very hard to destroy with airstrikes, the newspaper said.