Iran 'starts tests on uranium'
 |  Khatami delivers his speech Tuesday during a military ceremony on 24th anniversary of onset of Iran-Iraq war. |
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 Israel fears if Iran goes nuclear, it may affect the balance of power in the Mideast
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TEHRAN, Iran -- Iran says it has started converting raw uranium into gas for enrichment in defiance of demands set by the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog.
Gholamreza Aghazadeh, the head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation, told reporters in Vienna Tuesday that Iran had begun converting 37 tonnes of raw uranium into fuel for nuclear centrifuges, Reuters reported.
One nuclear expert told the news agency that, if enriched, that would be enough material for five nuclear weapons.
"Some of the amount of the 37 tonnes has been used. The tests have been successful but these tests have to be continued using the rest of the material," said Aghazadeh.
Earlier Tuesday, Iran's President Mohammad Khatami said his country will continue with its nuclear program -- even if it means an end to U.N. inspections of the Islamic Republic's nuclear sites.
"We've made our choice: yes to peaceful nuclear technology, no to atomic weapons," Khatami told a military parade in Tehran Tuesday, according to The Associated Press.
"We will continue along our path even if it leads to an end to international supervision" of our nuclear activities, he said.
On Saturday the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) board passed a resolution calling on Iran to to clarify outstanding issues related to its nuclear program, including its highly enriched uranium program.
It also urged Iran to immediately suspend all uranium enrichment and centrifuge activities.
If that does not happen by November 25, the date of the board's next scheduled meeting, the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog agency could refer Iran to the U.N. Security Council, which could impose sanctions.
Iran is threatening to pull out of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty if the case goes to the Security Council.
Concern around the world has grown about Iran's uranium enrichment program due to suspicions Tehran may not be telling the truth when it says it is interested only in generating power.
The U.N. atomic watchdog agency says weapons inspectors have not uncovered evidence over the past two years to support accusations that Iran has a secret nuclear weapons program. (Full story)
A report by ABC News in the U.S. said Iran "may be taking steps toward developing a nuclear device" at a military complex near Tehran. (Full story)
But U.S. officials told CNN earlier this month there was "no evidence" any nuclear work had been done at the site, known as Parchin.
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Associated Press contributed to this report.
