AP

Iranian students in Tehran show support for the government's nuclear program.

NATANZ, Iran — Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced Monday that his country was now capable of producing nuclear fuel on an "industrial scale," in an expansion of the uranium enrichment program that the United Nations has demanded it halt.

The announcement suggests Iran has succeeded in operating a larger number of centrifuges at its Natanz enrichment facility in central Iran. The country has said its goal is to install and start working with 3,000 centrifuges.

Ahmadinejad did not specify how many centrifuges were now operational as he spoke at a ceremony at the facility, marking the one-year anniversary of Iran's first success in enriching small amounts of uranium.

"With great honor, I declare that as of today our dear country has joined the nuclear club of nations and can produce nuclear fuel on an industrial scale," Ahmadinejad said. The U.N. has imposed limited sanctions on Iran until it suspends enrichment a key process that can produce either fuel for a nuclear reactor or the basis of a warhead. The United States and its allies accuse Iran of seeking to build nuclear weapons, a claim the country denies.