Special report: Iran Nuclear Crisis

    TEHRAN, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- Iran on Sunday denied reports that it is planning to enrich uranium to a level of about 20 percent for a new light water reactor which the country is trying to build.

    The Iranian Student's News Agency (ISNA) earlier quoted Mohammad Saeedi, deputy chief of Iran's atomic energy agency, as saying that it would not be surprising if Iran enriched uranium to 20 percent, which was required for its new light water nuclear reactor project.

    But an Iranian nuclear official, who speak on condition of anonymity, later denied the report, saying Iran has no plan to build light water nuclear research reactors.

    In April, Iran declared that it had gained a ticket to join the global nuclear club by having successfully produced 3.5 percent enriched uranium, a technological leap in the process for nuclear power plant construction.

    Enriched uranium is the key material for civil nuclear fuel cycle construction, but it can be used for building nuclear weapons at a degree of enrichment as high as 90 percent. Enditem

Latest developments:

Iran to enrich uranium to 20 percent

TEHRAN, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- Iran is planning to enrich uranium to a level of about 20 percent for a new light water reactor which the country is trying to build, the deputy chief of Iran's atomic energy agency said on Sunday.

Iranian army test-fires sub-to-surface missile

    TEHRAN, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Iranian army test-fired a sub-to-surface missile on Sunday in the Gulf during the ongoing massive military maneuver, the state television reported. 

Annan to visit Iran on Sept. 2

    TEHRAN, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan will pay a visit to Iran on Sept. 2, an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Sunday.

    TEHRAN, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- Iran will continue its nuclear fuel activities despite strong international call to halt the controversial program, chief nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani said on Sunday.

Iranian official reasserts right to peaceful use of nuclear energy