Iran’s underground uranium enrichment plant will go into operation “in the near future,” regime officials claim.

"The Fordow nuclear enrichment plant will be operational in the near future ... 20%, 3.5% and 4% enriched uranium can be produced at this site," Iran's Atomic Energy Organization Fereydoun Abbasi Davani director was quoted as saying by the Iranian Kayhan newspaper.

The nuclear site is buried inside a mountain in central Iran, and the announcement is the latest in a series of boasts that snub Western efforts to convince Iran to allow international inspection of its nuclear facilities before continuing to develop its nuclear development.

The Islamic Republic already has put into operation another uranium enrichment site, which is above ground and more susceptible to an aerial attack.

Iran has continued its tactic of going ahead with advancement towards what outsiders fear is the manufacture of a nuclear bomb while at the same time ostensibly offering proposals for diplomatic talks on inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) under the auspices of the United Nations.