Iran has informed the UN nuclear watchdog that it has a second uranium enrichment plant.
Spokesman Marc Vidricaire told Al Jazeera on Friday that Tehran had notified the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of the plant's existence in a letter earlier this week.
"On 21 September, Iran informed the IAEA in a letter that a new pilot fuel enrichment plant was under construction in the country ... the enrichment level would be up to 5%", Vidricaire said.
"Iran has assured the Agency in the letter that further complementary information will be provided in an appropriate and due time".
In response, the IAEA has requested Tehran provide specific details, and expects access to the facility as soon as possible.
"This will allow us to assess safeguard verification requirements for the facility, but we understand that no nuclear material has been introduced as yet".
Iran was previously known to have one enrichment plant at Natanz, under daily surveillance by IAEA inspectors.
The Islamic Republic is currently under UN sanctions for refusing to suspend enrichment and failing to clarify suspicions that its nuclear activity is aimed at developing atom bombs, not generating electricity as it says.
The Iranian letter was addressed to Mohamed ElBaradei, the IAEA director-general.
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