TEHRAN (AP): Iran's official IRNA news agency says Iran now has nearly 4,000 centrifuges operating in its uranium enrichment plant in Natanz, central Iran.

IRNA also quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Reza Sheikh Attar on Firday, who visited Natanz last week, as saying that Iran is currently installing 3,000 other centrifuges at the plant.

Iran says it plans to move toward large-scale uranium enrichment that will ultimately involve 54,000 centrifuges.

The U.S. and its allies have been demanding a halt to Iran's uranium enrichment _ something Tehran has repeatedly refused to do. Washington also accuses Iran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons.

Iran has denied the charges, saying its nuclear program is geared merely towards generating electricity, not bomb.