The European Union yesterday urged Tehran not to defy the United Nations, increasing international diplomatic pressure after its claim that it could enrich uranium on an industrial scale.

"The Presidency of the European Union has noted with great concern the announcement by Iran that it intends to begin uranium enrichment on an industrial scale," said a statement.

That would be in breach of two binding UN Security Council resolutions 1737 and 1747 and would also run against repeated requests made by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), it continued.

"The presidency of the EU once again urges Iran to comply with the demands of the international community and to create the conditions for a return to the negotiating table and for a solution to the conflict surrounding the Iranian nuclear programme."

Meanwhile, two UN inspectors have arrived in Iran to visit its uranium enrichment plant, authorities said yesterday.

"Two inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency arrived in Tehran early Tuesday," the Islamic Republic News Agency reported. An official of Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation confirmed their arrival, and said the visit was "routine".

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had announced on Monday that the country had set up an "industrial scale" operation to enrich uranium.

Iran pledged yesterday to further expand its nuclear drive by installing 50,000 centrifuges to enrich uranium.

Meanwhile, Russia voiced scepticism yesterday about Iran's announcement of uranium enrichment, saying it had yet to receive confirmation of the claim from the UN's nuclear watchdog.

"We do not know of any recent technological breakthroughs in the Iranian nuclear programme that would change the character of the work in the field of enrichment," ministry spokesman Mikhail Kamynin said.

French said Tehran should "seize the opportunity to open a dialogue that was offered to it in the statement from the six ministers at the adoption of resolution 1747."

The US said making good on Ahmadinejad's claim would expose Iran to tougher international pressure.

A British Foreign Office spokesman said that Iran's latest declaration was a further breach of IAEA and UN resolutions.

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Iran was "almost completely encircled by the international community because of their actions, and that pressure is only going to increase if they persist."

PHOTO CAPTION

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier takes off his tie and jacket beside European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana (R) before a first working session during the EU Foreign Ministers meeting in Bremen, northern Germany, March 30, 2007. (REUTERS)