Iran OKs 10 New Uranium Enrichment Sites

(CBS/AP)  Last Updated 2:12 p.m. ET

The Iranian government approved a plan Sunday to build 10 industrial-scale uranium enrichment facilities, a dramatic expansion of the program in defiance of U.N. demands it halt enrichment.

The decision comes only days after the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency censured Iran over its program and demanded it halt the construction of a newly-revealed enrichment facility.

Iran's state news agency IRNA says the government ordered the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran to begin construction of five uranium enrichment sites that have already been studied and propose five other sites for future construction.

The decision was made during a Cabinet meeting headed by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Sunday evening, IRNA said.

The news came just two days after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) demanded that Tehran immediately stop building its recently-revealed nuclear facility and freeze uranium enrichment.

The White House said the reports, if true, would mark "yet another serious violation" of Iran's obligations under multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions, and served as an example of the country isolating itself.

"The international community has made clear that Iran has rights, but with those rights come responsibilities," White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said in a statement. "As the overwhelming IAEA board of governors vote made clear, time is running out for Iran to address the international community's growing concerns about its nuclear program."

The decision came the same day that Iran's Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani warned world powers not to force Tehran into scaling down its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

"If you keep up this ludicrous carrot and stick policy, Iran will make 'new arrangements' in its interaction with the Agency," Larijani said in a parliamentary address.

The developments come as some Western powers, spearheaded by the U.S., have been pressuring Iran to accept a draft nuclear deal in which Iran's Low Enriched Uranium (LEU) would be shipped out of the country for further enrichment and returned to Iran to be used in Tehran's research reactor.

Iranian officials rejected the U.N. proposal, first floated by the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama, saying there are no guarantees that the country would in fact receive the fuel it requires for its non-military needs.

Tehran said it is ready to accept the nuclear swap if it takes place within its own borders.

[tjl456]

If Iran is not stopped, we will watch a radioactive cloud drift over the world somewhere and soon.

[formrusmcsgt]

Why is it that those who are soooo indignant about Iran thumbing it's nose at the UN regarding resolutions have no problem with Israel ignoring the UN's resolutions?

[justdatrooth]

....and Obama "watched"....lol!!

[50BMS13]

IT IS TIME TO BOMB IRAN'S NUCLEAR FACILITIES. There is no way talking or asking or demanding Ahmadinejad to co-operate is going to work. Fraudulent government. He will use the bomb in religious fervor.

[BeckieBest]

If Bush had not wasted so much of our blood, money, and credibility in Iraq, we might be able to do something about Iran.

Thanks Bushies!

[ffoulkes-2009]

BashBushBashBushBashBush. Becki...why not just change your name to BashBush? That seems to be all you do.

[50BMS13]

IT IS TIME TO BOMB IRAN'S NUCLEAR FACILITIES! In the muslim faith, Ahmadinejad would be a hero to use a nuke against the west. However many muslim lives that costs in the crossfire would be irrelevant, and viewed as martyrdom. The US and RUSSIA have thousands of nukes. Iran with one would be crazy enough to find it used by their own hand or others. Israel has 30 nukes. The international community has to deal with this before it is an Israel/Iran nuclear war.

[50BMS13]

slownewsday-05
Yes,agreed. If Iran has had a few nukes for a few years and you could be right, I would feel better about them with one in that they show restraint. I worry that they will not show restraint. It might be good for Iran as well if Ahmadinejad would stop saying he wants countries wiped off the map...

[ewo1977]

"However many muslim lives that costs in the crossfire would be irrelevant"

Same thing they think about your life. While they scream death to westerners you scream death to all muslims. And on and on it goes.

[earth5661]

Gee....I could of sworn from certain posters on this site that Iran was doing all this for pissfull means ?

They told me it was so !

[Arabrab111]

Duh, didn't see THIS one coming........

[bubbadubba]

It is obvious Iran is trying to provoke a war with the West.
I think Iran sees an opportunity to use their missles to wipe out most of our military in Iraq and Afghanistan and to give Europe a bloody nose and is just looking for an excuse to do so.
Insane?
Sure the Iranian leaders are insane which is why the WORLD must be prepared to use nuclear weapons on Iran and totally destroy the country;s military to teach others a lesson.
The time has come for the UN to either do something about a world threat or shut down the joke.

[Overruled1]

No way will Iran be allowed by the world body to continue the course they are taking any longer.
We have enough facts to prove that the Iranian governemnts' insincerity to provide for people civil rights and human rights while conducting secret nuclear research they claim was energy production for 20 years. That simply is ridicules.
To be frank, Bush paved the way for an era of military unrest the likes we haven't experienced and can take us to the brink of nuclear madness.
Now President Obama has the reigns of power and may only be able to respond but not prevent the inevitable events we experience.

[rickyg2]

iran has the right to do anything in thier own country.we make bomb in us everyday and so does isreal ,and when they are not ,we deliver it to them.what give us,isreal,britain,russia,france to have anyhing they want and not other countries.go iran,make more,you don't like it,chew on this.

[krmopilci]

there is no way that those holocoust survivors could have made a toothpick,not to say a nuke.all they have has come from usa and paid by usa tax payers.