AEOI:Iran to resume uranium enrichment up to 20% soon

"God willing, we will start 20% [enrichment] soon," he told national television Friday night.

The decision comes after the Iranian parliament passed a bill, dubbed the Strategic Action Plan to Counter Sanctions, which was written later into the law.

Salehi said the government and his organization are obliged to implement the law.

"We are soldiers of the establishment and our fingers are on the triggers," Salehi said. "The commander must give the order. We have this readiness and God willing, we will produce [20% enriched uranium] as soon as possible."

The International Atomic Energy Agency said Friday Iran had informed its inspectors of the decision by a letter.

"Iran has informed the agency that in order to comply with a legal act recently passed by the country's parliament, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran intends to produce low-enriched uranium (LEU) up to 20 percent at the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant," the IAEA said in a statement.

The agency said it "has inspectors present in Iran on a 24/7 basis and they have regular access to Fordow." The parliamentary bill also called on Iran to expel those inspectors, though it appears Tehran still hasn't decided to take that step.

Salehi said Iran would need to switch out natural uranium in centrifuges for material already enriched to 4% to begin the process of going to 20%. IAEA inspectors, he said, should come to Iran and remove seals on some of the connections at the facility.

"It should be done under IAEA supervision," Salehi added.