Iran has said it will offer the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) a timetable soon for inspection of its controversial new uranium enrichment plant, but has rejected demands for a freeze on production.

Tensions between Tehran and the West have mounted following revelations last week by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad that a second plant for nuclear enrichment, thought to be near the holy city of Qom, was under construction. Iran said enrichment levels at the plant would only be high enough to make nuclear fuel, not a bomb.

The head of Iran's atomic energy body, Ali Akbar Salehi, has said Iran wants to resolve the issue and discuss the global concerns at talks with the five permanent United Nations Security Council members plus Germany (the so-called P5+1), scheduled on 1 October. But Mr Salehi insisted there can be no going back on Iran's right to continue its nuclear programme under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty at Thursday's meeting in Geneva.

Tehran insists that all its nuclear facilities are for peaceful purposes and refutes accusations from the West that it wants to build nuclear weapons.