The Islamic Republic this week shipped 30 tons of yellowcake, or uranium ore, to a processing facility in the city of Isfahan, according to Iranian state media. The material can be further processed into enriched uranium which can be used as nuclear fuel or refined further to provide material for nuclear bombs. Tehran insists it plans to use its uranium in power plants but the West fears nuclear weapons may be the Islamic State’s ultimate goal.

Iran’s head of atomic energy said production of yellowcake will be ramped up to more than 300 tons annually “in the next five to six years”, the semi-official Fars News Agency reported.

The announcement comes at a time of heightened tensions between Iran and the US which began when President Donald Trump abruptly quit a 2015 nuclear accord aimed at preventing Tehran from acquiring atomic weapons.

Mr Trump branded the pact “the worst deal in history” and insisted Iran had been violating its terms despite UN observers stating Tehran was in compliance.

Under the deal, Iran is allowed to enrich uranium to 3.67 percent – well below the 90 percent needed to produce a nuclear weapon – in exchange for sanctions relief.

Iran insists it only plans to use its enriched uranium for fuel in nuclear power plants (Image: (Getty Images)