Iran's nuclear chief says the country will move its production of higher enriched uranium to a new site, while also tripling its production capacity for the nuclear fuel.

Iranian state media on Wednesday quoted Fereydoon Abbasi-Davani saying Iran will transfer production of 20 percent-enriched uranium to its Fordo facility near the city of Qom this year.

Iran revealed the existence of the facility in 2009, triggering outrage from Western nations that suspect Iran is enriching uranium to make nuclear weapons. Tehran says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.

The announcement Wednesday comes a day after Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad rejected a report from the U.N.'s watchdog agency that said Tehran may have carried out nuclear work with possible military purposes.

Mr. Ahmadinejad said the report “lacks legal credibility” and that comments made by the chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency would have no bearing on Iran's nuclear activities.