Two days after nuclear talks with world leaders yielded little progress , Iran announced it has opened a new uranium-processing site to mark `` National Nuclear Day . '' The country opened a uranium-processing facility as well as a uranium mine in the central province of Yazd , state-run TV reported Tuesday . Iran 's enrichment of uranium has been one of the most contentious issues in nuclear talks between Iran and the so-called P5+1 countries -- the United States , France , Britain , China , Russia and Germany . State TV : Three dead after quake hits Iran , near nuclear site . The P5+1 countries are demanding Iran come clean about its nuclear program , which they suspect includes covert development of nuclear weapons . But Iran has consistently denied those charges , saying it is enriching uranium and building nuclear reactors only for peaceful civilian energy needs . `` Enrichment is part of the rights of the Iranian people , whether we 're talking about 5 % or 20 % , '' said Iran 's top nuclear negotiator , Saeed Jalili said earlier . Nuclear power plants use uranium that is enriched to 5 % , while making a nuclear bomb requires uranium to be enriched 20 % or more , Arnie Gundersen , chief energy adviser with the nuclear consulting group Fairewindes Associates , said last year . Enriched uranium is the fuel for nuclear power plants that generate electricity . The technique of enriching uranium relies on yellowcake -- a powdery , often yellow substance that comes from processed , mined uranium ore. Nuclear talks continue to stall . Despite two days of intense negotiations last week , Iran and six world powers `` remain far apart '' on Tehran 's controversial nuclear program , European Union Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton said Saturday . Though Jalili described the talks as `` substantive , expansive and comprehensive , '' he said `` hostile behaviors '' directed toward Iran have been detrimental . The comment presumably was a reference to the draconian sanctions imposed by Western governments against Tehran , which are crippling the Iranian economy . Oil exports have plummeted over the past several years , as has the value of Iran 's currency . But Ashton defended the use of sanctions . `` The purpose of any sanctions is to put pressure in order to get this process to work , '' she said . `` And I believe we should continue to work as hard as we possibly can to make sure we are successful and we reach a satisfactory resolution . '' Iran nuclear talks : Countries to regroup after little progress .
Iran 's nuclear negotiator : `` Enrichment is part of the rights of the Iranian people , '' The announcement comes after recent nuclear negotiations . " This statement by Ahmadinejad was made in a speech to an audience at Tehran University on April 7, 2007. Iran and six world powers are at odds on Iran 's nuclear program .