Ahmadinejad promises new developments in nuclear fuel upgrade

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Sunday there would soon be what he called "happy news" about developments in Iran's nuclear programs, but did not elaborate.

The president told reporters in the parliament that the news would involve the upgrade of low-enriched uranium from 3.5 to 20 per cent.

Ahmadinejad said an announcement of the new developments would be officially made in February, when the country will celebrate the 31st anniversary of the 1979 Islamic revolution.

According to a plan brokered last year by the International Atomic Energy Agency, Iran's low-enriched uranium was to be processed by Russia and France for use as fuel in a Tehran medical reactor.

Iran however rejected the original plan and said it would either be ready to purchase fuel, swap its uranium in three different phases on Iranian soil, or process it by itself.

On Saturday, the London-based newspaper Al-Hayat quoted French President Nicolas Sarkozy as saying that Israel will not sit idly by while Iran continues to work on its nuclear program, Israel Radio reported.

According to the report, Sarkozy, who recently met with Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, reportedly told him that France has proof Iran is working to develop an atomic bomb.

"Israel might take action to prevent the Iranian regime, which wants to wipe it off the map, from obtaining a nuclear bomb," Sarkozy reportedly said.

Sarkozy also reportedly said that if he had to choose between Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he would prefer the Israeli leader despite some diplomatic differences they may have.