Head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization Fereydoun Abbasi-Davani attends a conference to mark the martyrs of terrorism in Tehran. September 6, 2011. 
 
 DUBAI Days before resuming talks over its disputed atomic program, Iran said on Saturday it had found significant new deposits of raw uranium and identified sites for 16 more nuclear power stations. 
 
 State news agency IRNA quoted a report by the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran (AEOI) which said the reserves were discovered in northern and southern coastal areas and had trebled the amount outlined in previous estimates. 
 
 There was no independent confirmation. With few uranium mines of its own, Western experts had previously thought that Iran might be close to exhausting its supply of raw uranium. 
 
 "We have discovered new sources of uranium in the country and we will put them to use in the near future," Fereydoun Abbasi-Davani, head of the AEOI, was quoted as saying at Iran's annual nuclear industry conference. 
 
 The timing of the announcement suggested Iran, by talking up its reserves and nuclear ambitions, may hope to strengthen its negotiating hand at talks in Kazakhstan on Tuesday with the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany. 
 
 Diplomats say the six powers, known as the P5+1, are set to offer Iran some relief from international sanctions if it agrees to curb its production of higher-grade enriched uranium. 
 
 The West says Iran's enrichment of uranium to a fissile purity of 20 percent demonstrates its intent to develop a nuclear weapons capability, an allegation the Islamic republic denies. 
 
 FROM MINE TO CENTRIFUGE 
 
 The enriched uranium required for use in nuclear reactors or weapons is produced in centrifuges that spin uranium hexafluoride gas (UF6) at high speeds. The UF6 is derived from yellow cake, a concentrate from uranium ore discovered in mines. 
 
 Iran's reserves of raw uranium now stood at around 4,400 tonnes, taking into account discoveries over the past 18 months, IRNA quoted the report as saying. 
 
 In another sign that Iran is intent on pushing forward with its nuclear ambitions, the report also said 16 sites had been identified for the construction of nuclear power stations. 
 
 It did not specify the exact locations but said they included coastal areas of the Gulf, Sea of Oman, Khuzestan province and the Caspian Sea. 
 
 Iranian authorities have long announced their desire to build more nuclear power plants for electricity production. Only one currently exists, in the southern city of Bushehr, and that has suffered several shutdowns in recent months. 
 
 The announcements could further complicate the search for a breakthrough in Kazakhstan, after three unsuccessful rounds of talks between the two sides in 2012. 
 
 "We are meeting all of our obligations under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and we should be able to benefit from our rights. We don't accept more responsibilities and less rights," Saeed Jalili, Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, was quoted as telling Saturday's conference. 
 
 In what Washington has called a provocative move, Iran is also installing new-generation centrifuges, capable of producing enriched uranium much faster, at a site in Natanz in the centre of the country. 
 
 Western diplomats say the P5+1 will reiterate demands for the suspension of uranium enrichment to a purity of 20 percent, the closure of Iran's Fordow enrichment plant, increased access for International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors and agreement to address concerns on existing uranium stockpiles. 
 
 In return, the latest embargoes on gold and metals trading with Iran would be lifted. Iran has criticized the offer and says its rights need to be fully recognized. 
 
 "If the P5+1 group wants to start constructive talks with Tehran it needs to present a valid proposal," said Jalili. "It needs to put its past errors to one side ... to win the trust of the Iranian nation." 
 
 In a statement issued before the Iranian announcement, German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said the six-power group wanted to enter a 'substantial negotiation process' over Tehran's nuclear program. 
 
 "The talks in Almaty are a chance which I hope Iran takes," he said. 
 
 (Additional reporting by Alexandra Hudson in Berlin; Editing by Mark Trevelyan) 

 By JPOST.COM STAFF, REUTERS 
 
 Tehran announces plans to expand nuclear program, saying it has designated 16 sites for new nuclear plants. 
 
 Interior of Bushehr nuclear plant Photo: REUTERS/Stringer Iran 
 
 Iran announced Saturday that it had designated 16 new sites for nuclear power plants and made a significant discovery of new uranium deposits, days before the Islamic Republic was scheduled to partake in talks with Western powers in Kazakhstan over its controversial nuclear program. 
 
 “Following months of efforts, 16 new sites for nuclear power plants have been designated in coastal areas of the Caspian Sea, the Persian Gulf, the Sea of Oman, [southwestern province of] Khuzestan and northwestern part of the country,” Press TV quoted the Atomic Energy Organization as saying. 
 
 The agency stated that the nuclear plants were being established for electricity generation only, and were in line with international standards. 
 
 The organization added that Iran has found significant new deposits of raw uranium to feed its nuclear program. 
 
 State news agency IRNA on Saturday said the deposits were found in "southern coastal areas" and had trebled the amount outlined in previous estimates. 
 
 There was no independent confirmation but with few uranium mines of its own, Western experts had previously thought that Iran may be close to exhausting its supply of raw uranium. 
 
 Diplomats say the United States and its allies - the so called P5+1 - are set to offer Iran some relief from their sanctions at the talks in Kazakhstan on Tuesday if it agrees to curb its production of higher grade enriched uranium. 
 
 The West says the production demonstrates Tehran's intent to develop a nuclear weapons capability, an allegation the Islamic republic denies. 
 
 Ayalon: Iran using negotiating techniques common in the Persian bazaar 
 
 Former deputy foreign minister Danny Ayalon said Saturday that Iran's recent announcements of advancements in its nuclear program are part of a ploy by the Islamic Republic to enter Tuesday's nuclear talks in a position of strength. 
 
 "With the upcoming renewal of the dialogue between the P5+1 (the US, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany) and Iran on neutralizing the Iranian nuclear program, it seems that Iran is trying to raise the bidding price and to enter negotiations from a position of strength," Ayalon said in a Facebook post. "With this in mind it is possible to understand the latest Iranian declarations on their increased enrichment abilities with advanced centrifuges and declarations on their discovery of uranium deposits in their territory." 
 
 Ayalon called Iran's declarations "a negotiating pattern which is common in the Persian bazaar." Ayalon accused the Islamic Republic of attempting to carry out "psychological warfare against the West." 
 
 The former deputy minister said that Iran's behavior "does not signal an Iranian readiness to compromise." He called for "a full embargo" on Iran and said that the military option should be portrayed as an increasingly more likely outcome.
– Days before returning to the nuclear bargaining table, Iran says it has found more raw-uranium deposits and plans to build 16 new nuclear power stations, Reuters reports. A state news agency said the new deposits exist in "southern coastal areas" and triple Iran's estimated amount of raw uranium. The announcement comes after Western experts concluded that Iran, which has few uranium mines, had likely drained its native supply. But a former Israeli official says Iran is just trying to gain leverage before nuclear talks with US, Russia, France, Germany, and China starting Tuesday. "It seems that Iran is trying to raise the bidding price and to enter negotiations from a position of strength," Danny Ayalon tells the Jerusalem Post. He called it "a negotiating pattern which is common in the Persian bazaar." Iran said its upcoming power stations were for electricity only and conformed to international standards. Iran has also announced the installation of new centrifuges that enrich uranium faster at its site in Natanz—a move Washington called provocative.