Iran ups nuclear ambitions

TEHRAN, Feb. 8 (UPI) -- Iran announced Monday additional nuclear and military ambitions in the face of mounting domestic and international opposition, authorities said.

Officials said Tehran will build 10 new nuclear fuel plants starting in March and will begin enriching uranium to 20 percent for a reactor in Tehran, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, said Tehran has informed the United Nations' nuclear watchdog agency of its plans, the newspaper said.

"The 20 percent enrichment begins on Tuesday under supervision of inspectors and observers from the International Atomic Energy Agency," Salehi said.

IAEA officials said they have not received anything in writing as of Monday.

Iran's military also announced plans to build new military planes, aerial drones and anti-aircraft missiles.

Iran will celebrate the 1979 Islamic Revolution Thursday, when political opposition elements and security forces are likely to clash in Tehran and other cities, the Times said.

Experts suspect the country's nuclear program has been on hold in the eight months since Iran's internal political crisis erupted after President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's re-election. Any acceleration of the program is certain to alarm the West and Israel, the Times reported.