Iran confirms use of centrifuges

TEHRAN, Iran – Iran said Sunday that it has started using new centrifuges that can churn out enriched uranium at more than double the rate of the machines that now form the backbone of the Islamic nation’s nuclear program.

The announcement was the first official confirmation by Tehran after diplomats with the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog reported earlier this month that Iran was using 10 of the new IR-2 centrifuges.

Meanwhile, a senior Iranian official on Sunday blamed the U.S. for Tehran’s refusal to respond to an International Atomic Energy Agency probe into whether Iran tried to make nuclear weapons in the past. Ali Ashgar Soltanieh claimed information provided by Washington and used by the U.N. agency was fake and it came to Tehran too late for a proper review.

The U.S. dismissed the complaint.