News

TEHRAN, Iran
— Iran's president has announced that the Islamic republic has
produced its first package of highly enriched uranium just two days
after beginning the process.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Thursday told hundreds of thousands of
cheering Iranians that Iran was now a "nuclear state" and had produced
its first batch of 20 percent enriched uranium.

Enriching uranium produces fuel for a nuclear power plants but
can also be used to create material for atomic weapons.

Iran announced Tuesday it was beginning the process of enriching
its uranium stockpile to a higher level.

The international community has warned Iran against further
enrichment activities, threatening new U.N. sanctions.