IAEA Head To Probe Iran's Nukes Claims

(CBS/AP)  The head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog, Mohamed ElBaradei, expressed optimism about his visit to Iran on arriving there for talks aimed at defusing tension over Tehran's nuclear program.

"The time is right for a political solution and the way is negotiations,'' the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency told journalists at Mehrabad International Airport in Tehran just after midnight Wednesday local time.

ElBaradei's visit began not long after Tehran's announcement Tuesday that the country had successfully enriched uranium, a key step to producing peaceful nuclear energy or nuclear weapons.

"I would like to see Iran come to terms with the requests of the international community,'' he said, explaining the purpose of his trip as being "to clarify remaining outstanding issues on the nature of the Iranian program.''

Earlier Wednesday, the country's deputy nuclear chief said Iran intends to move toward large-scale uranium enrichment involving 54,000 centrifuges, signaling its resolve to expand a program the international community has insisted it halt.

That will be hundreds of times more than what the country has now, reports CBS News correspondent Jim Axelrod. If true, Axelrod adds, that would be enough to produce hundreds of nuclear warheads.

Iran's president had announced Tuesday that the country had succeeded in enriching uranium on a small scale for the first time, using 164 centrifuges. The U.N. Security Council has demanded that Iran stop all enrichment activity because of suspicions the program's aim is to make nuclear weapons.

"We will expand uranium enrichment to industrial scale at Natanz," Deputy Nuclear Chief Mohammad Saeedi told state-run television Wednesday.

He said Iran has informed the International Atomic Energy Agency that it plans to install 3,000 centrifuges at Natanz by late 2006, then expand to 54,000 centrifuges, though he did not say when.

He said using 54,000 centrifuges will be able to produce enough enriched uranium to provide fuel for a 1,000-megawat nuclear power plant like the one Russia is currently putting the finishing touches on in southern Iran.

Iran's claims brought it fresh international condemnation as allies Russia and China joined several European countries and the United States in expressing their disapproval over the nuclear activities.

Already the U.N. Security Council had given it until April 28 to clear up suspicions that it wants to become a nuclear power. It has asked Tehran to suspend enrichment and allow unannounced IAEA inspections.

The White House is pressing for U.N. sanctions against Iran.

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