New York - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Friday denounced Western reaction to news that Tehran was building a second, previously unknown uranium enrichment plant and said Iran had complied with all international regulation. Ahmadinejad told reporters in New York that he was surprised by the reaction because Iran had gone beyond its obligations by informing the International Atomic Energy Agency of the plant.
"We are completely within IAEA rules and its supervision," he said.
He claimed the UN nuclear watchdog had already been told about the plant's construction a year ago, and insisted the body must only be informed six months before uranium enrichment is set to begin.
Leaders of the United States, Britain and France reacted harshly to Iran's late admission, with US President Barack Obama saying that the layout of the new plant that has been built for several years was "inconsistent" with use in a civilian nuclear power programme.
"I don't think Obama is a nuclear expert," Ahmadinejad said.
He did not say whether uranium enrichment had begun at the plant.
