( CNN ) -- Iran 's Cabinet has authorized the construction of another 10 uranium enrichment plants , its state news agency announced Sunday , further defying international calls to halt its production of nuclear fuel . The Iranian Cabinet approved existing plans for five more facilities similar to its current plant at Natanz and ordered planning for five more to begin , the Islamic Republic News Agency reported . The dispatch quoted Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as saying that the new plants will be used to produce fuel for civilian nuclear power stations . The move comes two days after the International Atomic Energy Agency , the U.N. nuclear watchdog , passed a resolution demanding that Iran stop construction on a previously secret nuclear facility at Qom . The agency also repeated calls for Iran to stop its uranium enrichment program . The IAEA said it would not comment on Sunday 's announcement . But in Washington , White House spokesman Robert Gibbs called the announcement `` another example of Iran choosing to isolate itself . '' `` The international community has made clear that Iran has rights , but with those rights come responsibilities , '' Gibbs said in a written statement . `` As the overwhelming IAEA board of governors vote made clear , time is running out for Iran to address the international community 's growing concerns about its nuclear program . '' Enriched uranium can be used to fuel power plants -- or , if enriched to a much higher concentration , it can be used to make a nuclear bomb . Iran has said its uranium enrichment program is aimed at producing fuel for civilian power plants . But the United States and other countries have accused Tehran of working toward nuclear weapons , and the IAEA 's Friday resolution stated that Iran 's refusal to comply with international demands `` does not contribute to the building of confidence . '' The resolution had the support of Russia and China -- which had resisted earlier efforts to impose strong sanctions on Iran -- as well as the United States , Britain , France and Germany . The United States warned Friday that it was prepared to push for significantly stronger economic sanctions on Tehran following the resolution , but said Iran could receive benefits if it fully discloses all nuclear activities to the IAEA . Iran says it has a right to produce nuclear fuel under the 1968 Non-Proliferation Treaty , which bars member states from pursuing nuclear weapons and requires international inspectors to have access to nuclear facilities . `` We have friendly and kind relations with the whole world , but we will not allow even the slightest denial of Iran 's rights , '' IRNA quoted Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as telling government ministers . And Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani criticized the IAEA resolution Sunday , warning that continued international pressure could force Iran `` to seek another path which will seriously change our cooperation with the agency , '' IRNA reported . Iran says the goal of the plants authorized Sunday would be to produce enough enriched uranium to yield about 20,000 megawatts of electricity a year . Iran currently has one nuclear power plant , which has yet to begin full operation , and announced plans in 2007 to build 19 more . By comparison , 65 nuclear power plants in the United States produced about 800,000 megawatts of power in 2007 , according to the U.S. Department of Energy . In his final report to the IAEA 's governing board , outgoing Director General Mohamed ElBaradei said the agency has been able to verify that no known stocks of nuclear fuel have been diverted from authorized uses . But he said inspectors `` have effectively reached a dead end '' without further Iranian cooperation . `` There has been no movement on remaining issues of concern which need to be clarified for the agency to verify the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran 's nuclear program , '' he said . In addition , Iran has so far refused to sign an agreement with France , Russia and the United States to send its uranium stocks abroad for enrichment in exchange for fuel for a research reactor that produces radioisotopes used for cancer treatment . In Israel , which has called Iran 's nuclear program to the dominant threat facing the country , there was no immediate comment from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 's office on Sunday 's development . Israel is believed to have its own nuclear arsenal , though it has never declared itself a nuclear power . CNN 's Kevin Flower and Per Nyberg contributed to this report .
Iranian president says new plants will produce fuel for civilian power plants . Cabinet approves five plants like existing one , says to start planning for five more . `` Time is running out for Iran to address ... concerns , '' White House says . Move comes days after U.N. nuclear watchdog told Iran to stop work on nuke facility .