TEHERAN (AFP) - Iran has notified the International Atomic Energy Agency that it has launched a plan to increase its uranium enrichment capacity, nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi said on Tuesday (June 5).

"A letter was submitted to the agency yesterday regarding the start of certain activities," said Mr Salehi, a vice-president and head of the Iranian Atomic Energy Organisation.

"If conditions allow, maybe tomorrow night (June 6) at Natanz, we can announce the opening of the centre for production of new centrifuges" for uranium enrichment, he said, quoted by conservative news agency Fars.