Iranian madman Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is promising some “good nuclear news” later today: Iran: expect ‘good nuclear news’ on Tuesday night. (Hat tip: LGF readers.)

Nice going, IAEA!

TEHRAN - Iranians will hear “good news” on their country‘s nuclear program on Tuesday night, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying by the official IRNA news agency.

The news is widely expected in Iranian media to be the announcement that Iran has enriched uranium to the 3.5 percent level needed to fuel nuclear power stations like the one it is building at the Gulf port of Bushehr. Such an announcement would be a big setback to UN efforts to get Iran to suspend its uranium enrichment work, as it has done before.

“After hearing all the good news tomorrow (Tuesday) night, Iranians should prostrate themselves before almighty God,” Ahmadinejad said in the northeastern city of Mashhad on Monday night. …

IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei is expected to visit Iran this week and any announcement of advances in uranium enrichment work by Iran could cast an embarrassing cloud over his visit. …

“After the good nuclear news, the psychological war against us will start,” lawmaker Gholamreza Mesbahi-Moghaddam told a parliament session on Tuesday. “I can say there will be international media campaign against us in the next days because of the news the president will announce.”

UPDATE at 4/11/06 8:24:35 am:

Iran Has Enriched Uranium for First Time.

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran has enriched uranium for the first time using 164 centrifuges, a major development in its fuel cycle technology, news agencies quoted a former president as saying Tuesday.

The announcement by former President Hashemi Rafsanjani was the first disclosure that Iran had successfully enriched uranium since February, when it began research at its enrichment facility in the town of Natanz.

“Iran has put into operation the first unit of 164 centrifuges, has injected (uranium) gas and has reached industrial production,” the Kuwait News Agency quoted Rafsanjani as saying.

“We should expand the work of these machines to achieve a full industrial line. We need dozens of these units (sets of 164 centrifuges) to achieve a uranium enrichment facility,” he said