The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), a United Nations watchdog agency, on Saturday confirmed that Iran is enriching uranium to 60% at its Natanz facility.
"The Agency today verified that Iran had begun the production of UF6 enriched up to 60% U-235 by feeding UF6 enriched up to 5% U-235 simultaneously into two cascades of IR-4 centrifuges and IR-6 centrifuges at the Natanz Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant," IAEA said in a statement.
UF6 is uranium hexafluoride, which is the form of uranium fed into centrifuges for enrichment.
On Friday, Ali Akbar Salehi, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, was quoted as having told state television that the country is "producing about 9 grams of 60% enriched uranium an hour."
Also on Friday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf tweeted: "I am proud to announce that at 00:40 last night ,and on the night of the pilgrimage of Sayyid al-Shuhada, young and pious Iranian scientists were able to obtain a 60% enriched uranium product."
"Congratulations to the brave people of Islamic Iran on this success; the will of the Iranian people is a miracle and will thwart any conspiracy."