Tehran (xn) - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Sunday ordered the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) to start work on enriching uranium to a purity of 20 percent, the Mehr news agency reported.

However, Ahmadinejad said Iran is still ready for exchange of nuclear fuel with world powers, the report said. The Iranian president made the announcement in his speech at an exhibition of Iran's laser technology achievements, which was also attended by AEOI chief Ali Akbar Salehi, who is also Iran's vice president. "Mr. Salehi, you start 20 percent enrichment and at the same time we are ready to negotiate for the exchange of fuel," Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying.

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad speaks while visiting an exhibition of Iran laser science and technology in Tehran February 7th. (© Xinhua/Reuters)

Ahmadinejad also said he had good nuclear news for the Iranian nation that the country has possessed the laser uranium enrichment technology, the official IRNA news agency reported. Using the laser technology for enriching uranium would lead to carrying out the enrichment process with a higher quality, accuracy and speed, Ahmadinejad said, adding that, however, Iran is currently using the existing system of centrifuges for enriching uranium, it would not use the laser technology.

Ahmadinejad's remarks came just two days after Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said that Tehran hoped to reach a uranium transfer deal with world powers in near future. Tehran "is serious about" reaching an agreement with the international community over Iran's access to enriched uranium, Mottaki told a discussion panel at the annual Munich security conference on Friday. He said he expected that a deal could be reached in the "not too distant future."

However, the United States and Germany said on Saturday they saw no sign of Iranian concessions on its nuclear program and might opt for added pressure.