Iran claims success in domestic production of first batch of yellowcake

According to Iran's nuclear energy chief Ali Akbar Salehi, Iran has successfully produced its first batch of yellowcake uranium, the material used for enrichment or uranium, in the production of a nuclear device.

Salehi said the development strengthened Tehran's position in the next round of nuclear talks, starting today in Geneva.

The announcement by Salehi on Iranian TV, according to analysts, may have probably been designed to bolster Iran's claims about the progress of its nuclear programme, which is said to have suffered a set-back due to damage caused by the Stuxnet computer virus.

Iranian TV commentators also took pains to deny that the programme had been affected by the Stuxnet virus.

Describing Iran's production of yellowcake uranium as a major achievement, he said Tehran would inform the International Atomic Energy Agency of the development.

Salehi said that the country had achieved a milestone with the first indigenous production of yellowcake uranium in Iran.  He said the yellowcake was shipped from the Gachin mine in Bandar Abbas to the Isfahan production facility.