Iran may be preparing to expand its nuclear program at an underground plant near the city of Qom, a diplomat has told the BBC, just days ahead of a visit by United Nations nuclear inspectors. Iran appears to be poised to install thousands of new centrifuges at the underground site in the northern city, a Vienna-based diplomat told the British broadcaster late Saturday. The BBC said the centrifuges could speed up the production of enriched uranium, which can be used both for generating nuclear power and to manufacture atomic weapons. Iran said Wednesday it had installed another 3,000 centrifuges to increase its uranium enrichment abilities, but it was unclear Sunday whether these were the same as those mentioned by the diplomat. Inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN's nuclear watchdog, are due to visit Tehran this week. Meanwhile, Iran's Revolutionary Guard says it has begun a two-day land military exercise to upgrade its capabilities to defend the country against possible external threats. Commander of the Guard's ground forces Mohammad Pakpour said on comments posted on the force's website sepahnews.com that the maneuvers dubbed Valfajr, or Dawn, began Sunday outside the city of Yazd in central Iran. The Guard is Iran's most powerful military unit. Iran, meanwhile, has stopped selling crude to British and French companies, the oil ministry said Sunday. “Exporting crude to British and French companies has been stopped ... we will sell our oil to new customers,” spokesman Alireza Nikzad was quoted as saying by the ministry of petroleum website.
