Iran said it could start enriching uranium to the purity level of 50 percent if its research community declares a need to nuclear-fueled submarines, but meantime underlined that it is not enriching uranium over 20 percent at present and has no such plans for future now.

"At present, we have no enrichment plan for purity levels above 20 percent, but when it comes to certain needs, for example, for some ships and submarines, if our researchers need to have a stronger underwater presence, we will have to make small engines which should be fueled by 45 to 56 percent enriched uranium," Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Fereidoun Abbasi said Tuesday, April 16, according to Fars news agency.

"In that case, we might need this fuel," Abbasi said.

This is not the first time Iran announces that it enjoys the technical know-how to enrich uranium to purity levels above 20 percent. Abbasi had first announced in July that Iran is in possession of the technical knowledge to produce the nuclear fuel needed for trade vessels and submarines.