Iran said it would start the enrichment on Tuesday, just days after its president said Tehran had "no problem" in sending its fuel abroad for enrichment.

The international community has repeatedly called on Iran to send the fuel abroad for enrichment to allay fears that Iran may be developing the capacity to build a nuclear weapon.

A spokesman for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed late on Monday night that the agency had received a letter from Iran's Atomic Energy Organization that day, Iran's state-owned IRNA news agency reported.

The IAEA communiqué reads, “The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran has announced it intends to produce 20 percent enriched uranium at its Natanz Enrichment Complex aimed at providing fuel for the Tehran Research Reactor.”

The communiqué adds that IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano expressed worries that Iran’s move could influence the international efforts to provide fuel for the Tehran Research Reactor.

He also announced the agency’s readiness for mediation on the Tehran Nuclear Reactor.

Iran's permanent representative to the IAEA, Ali Asghar Soltaniyeh, said on Monday that Iran had officially informed the IAEA of its intention to produce 20 percent enriched uranium to meet its nuclear fuel requirements.

In an exclusive interview with IRNA, he said Iran had invited IAEA inspectors in an official letter addressed to the body as the country is obliged to carry out its nuclear activities under IAEA supervision.

Tehran officially informed the IAEA director general of its decision to provide fuel for Tehran’s research centre some eight months ago, Soltaniyeh said. He said that Iran could not delay any longer, as patients needed the radio-isotopes.

IRNA