Iran to produce enough fuel for Bushehr in 4-5 years

TEHRAN, Nov 25 (Reuters) President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said Iran will produce enough nuclear fuel to meet demand from its Bushehr power station in four or five years, the official news agency IRNA reported today.

IRNA quoted a recorded tape of Ahmadinejad's interview with state television, correcting a remark attributed to the president last week that Iran would be able to provide for its nuclear fuel needs by next year.

''I think we will reach (the point to meet) the demand of Bushehr nuclear power station in the next four or five years,'' IRNA quoted Ahmadinejad as saying.

''In order to meet the plans made by the parliament for producing 20,000 megawatts a year of electricity from nuclear energy we should develop that (ability to produce nuclear fuel),'' Ahmadinejad said.

Iran has been referred to the UN Security Council for possible sanctions. The West accuses Iran of using its uranium enrichment programme as a cover for producing nuclear weapons.

Iran denies the charge, saying it is enriching uranium only because it needs nuclear energy to generate electricity and meet its growing energy demands.

REUTERS KR ND2046