Iran sets next year as start date for plants

TEHERAN - The head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi said late on Sunday that Teheran will begin constructing another uranium enrichment plant by early 2011, local media reported.

"Studies for the location of 10 uranium enrichment facilities have ended," Salehi was quoted by state IRIB TV as saying, adding the construction of one of these facilities will begin around next March.

Currently, Iran's Natanz enrichment facility is enriching uranium to a level of 20 percent and another facility around Qom, Fordo, is under construction.