The Iranian president says his country has joined the group of countries possessing nuclear technology.

In a televised address on Tuesday, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad also said that Iran was determined to achieve industrial-scale uranium enrichment.

"I am officially announcing that Iran has joined the group of those countries which have nuclear technology. This is the result of the Iranian nation's resistance," Ahmadinejad said in the address from the northeastern city of Mashhad.   

"Based on international regulations, we will continue our path until we achieve production of industrial-scale enrichment."

He said that the West must respect Iran's right to peaceful atomic technology.

"I am advising them to respect the Iranian nation's right to nuclear technology and not to create an ever-lasting hatred of themselves among our nation," Ahmadinejad said.

"We have repeatedly said that Iran does not need weapons of mass destruction."

His announcement came only hours after Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, a former president, disclosed that Iran is producing enriched uranium from 164 centrifuges.

Rafsanjani comment

"We operated the first unit which comprises 164 centrifuges, gas was injected, and we got the industrial output," Rafsanjani told Kuwait's KUNA news agnecy.

"There needs to be an expansion of operations if we are to have a complete industrial unit; tens of units are required to set up a uranium enrichment plant."

Donald Rumsfeld, the US defence secretary, declined to comment on Iran's claim that it has successfully enriched uranium.

"I'd rather wait and see what our experts say about it," he said.

Scott McClellan, the White House spokesman, said Iran was "moving in the wrong direction" with its nuclear programme and if it persisted, America would discuss possible next steps with the UN Security Council.

Western fears

The West fears that Iran could be using its power station programme as a smokescreen to build atomic bombs, but Tehran denies this.

The International Atomic Energy Agency said last month that Iran had started testing 20 centrifuges.

Gholamreza Aghazadeh, the head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation, said in February that Iran had started work on uranium fuel, but using only a few centrifuges. He said then that Iran was months away from operating a full cascade.

On Tuesday, however, he confirmed the enrichment announcement.

"I am proud to announce that we have started enriching uranium to the 3.5% level," he said in a televised address.

He said that the pilot enrichment plant in Natanz, south of Tehran, had started working on Monday.

Each centrifuge chain contains 164 units. Such cascades refine uranium gas into fuel for power stations, or if highly enriched - to 90% - for bombs.

About 1,500 centrifuges running optimally for a year could yield enough material for a bomb, scientists say.

PHOTO CAPTION

Head of the Iranian Atomic Energy Organisation (IAEA) Gholamreza Aghazadeh (L) and Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad (C) are seen at the Natanz uranium enrichment facility in Natanz, Iran February 15, 2006. (Reuters)