“There is nothing impossible for Iran in producing new-generation centrifuges and we have fully mastered the job,” Salehi stressed.
“We have put in 1,000 centrifuges of the second generation (IR-2m), but we have not injected the UF6 gas into them given the ongoing nuclear talks,” he added.
He said Iran is currently building first-generation centrifuges and has installed centrifuges of the second generation, but the third and fourth generation ones are undergoing tests.
The Iranian official pointed out that Iran will not install any more second-generation centrifuges as it needs enough space and infrastructure.
Early in December, Spokesman for the AEOI Behrouz Kamalvandi said that the organization has provided the UN nuclear agency with information about the country's new generation of centrifuges.
“The AEOI has provided the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) with necessary information about the research being carried out on the country’s peaceful (nuclear) activities on time and within the framework of the Safeguards Agreement,” Kamalvandi said.
Kamalvandi added that the new generation of centrifuges has more capacity compared to the first and second generations and have undergone initial tests.
The Iranian official said the new generation was produced in line with the AEOI policy to enhance enrichment machinery and increase production capacity.
The IAEA Inspectors arrived in Iran early in December to visit the country’s Arak heavy water facility after the AEOI granted the agency’s request to visit the plant.
The voluntary move is a goodwill gesture on the part of Iran to clear up ambiguities over the peaceful nature of the country’s nuclear energy program.
In November, Iran and the UN nuclear agency agreed on a roadmap for more cooperation on outstanding nuclear issues.
Under the agreement, Iran would, on a voluntary basis, allow the IAEA inspectors to visit Arak heavy water plant and Gachin uranium mine in Bandar Abbas, in Southern Iran.
The IAEA has conducted numerous inspections of Iran's nuclear facilities, but has never found any evidence showing that Iran's nuclear program has been diverted to nuclear weapons production.
