Iran installing new nuclear equipment: IAEA

VIENNA (AFP) - Iran has begun installing next-generation equipment at one of its main nuclear plants, a new IAEA report said on Thursday, drawing condemnation from the United States (US), Britain and Israel five days before Iranian talks with world powers.

"On 6 February 2013, the Agency observed that Iran had started the installation of IR-2m centrifuges" at the Natanz plant, the International Atomic Energy Agency report said.

"This is the first time that centrifuges more advanced than the IR-1 have been installed" at the plant in central Iran, the United Nations (UN) atomic watchdog added.

One official said that Iran intended to install around 3,000 of the new centrifuges at Natanz - where around 12,500 of the older models are installed - enabling it to speed up the enrichment of uranium.