Foreign Secretary William Hague tonight said he was "extremely disappointed" by Iran's decision to carry out high-level uranium enrichment and branded it a "provocative act".
A United Nation's nuclear watchdog confirmed today that the process is under way in a fortified underground bunker near the holy city of Qom.
The "clandestine nature" of the activity undermines Tehran's claims that its nuclear programme is entirely civilian, Mr Hague said.
Mr Hague said: "I am extremely disappointed by Iran's decision to start enrichment operations at its Qom facility.
"At a time when the international community is asking Iran to provide assurances of the peaceful nature of its programme, this is a provocative act which further undermines Iran's claims that its programme is entirely civilian in nature.
"Iran only acknowledged the facility at Qom after its existence became known. Its size, location and clandestine nature raise serious questions about its ultimate purpose.
"Iran can provide no credible rationale for producing so much 20% enriched uranium. Its claim to be enriching for the Tehran research reactor does not stand up to serious scrutiny.
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| President Ahmadinejad tours the Natanz uranium enrichment facility at Natanz, Iran in April 2008. |
"Iran already has sufficient enriched uranium to power the reactor for more than five years and has not even installed the equipment necessary to manufacture fuel elements.
"If Iran has nothing to hide, it should seek every opportunity to reassure the international community of its peaceful intentions.
"In the absence of this, international pressure on Iran will only increase further".
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed earlier today that the enrichment process was under way at the underground Fordo plant, which Iran only acknowledged after the UK, United States and France revealed its existence in 2009.
PA 2012
PA 2012
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