A handout picture released by Iran's Atomic Energy Organization on Nov 6, 2019, shows the interior of the Fordow Uranium Conversion Facility in Qom, in the north of the country. (HO / ATOMIC ENERGY ORGANIZATION OF IRAN / AFP)

TEHRAN / DUBAI - Iran has started injecting uranium gas in its Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant, as part of the process to enrich uranium to a purity of up to 20 percent, spokesman of the Iranian government Ali Rabiei announced on Monday.

The first enriched uranium hexafluoride product will be available in a few hours, Rabiei said, speaking to a journalist at the official news agency IRNA.

These measures, Iranian government Ali Rabiei noted, were taken after informing the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and submitting a technical questionnaire to it, as established by Iran's safeguard commitments

According to the spokesman, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani gave the necessary instructions last Iranian week (ending on Friday) regarding the financing of Iran's Strategic Action Plan to Counter Sanctions (SAPCS) law, up to the end of current Iranian year.

Rouhani gave also the order to implement the SAPCS law, approved by Iran's parliament on Dec 1, Rabiei said.

ALSO READ: Iran to enrich uranium to up to 20%, IAEA says

These measures, he noted, were taken after informing the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and submitting a technical questionnaire to it, as established by Iran's safeguard commitments.

Rabiei recalled that Iran's executive branch has previously expressed its (critical) position regarding the SAPCS law, but "considers itself obliged to implement it."

Benjamin Netanyahu, prime minister of Iran’s arch foe Israel, said the move was aimed at developing nuclear weapons and Israel would never allow Tehran to build them.

In a statement issued in Jerusalem, Netanyahu said Iran’s enrichment decision could be explained only as a bid to “continue to carry out its intention to develop a military nuclear programme”.

ALSO READ: Iran starts to inject uranium gas into centrifuges at Fordow

The head of the IAEA is set to inform members on Monday about developments in Iran, the IAEA said, after the announcement by Tehran.

“Agency inspectors have been monitoring activities at the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant in Iran. Based on their information, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi is expected to submit a report to IAEA Member States later today,” a spokesman for the nuclear watchdog said by email.

Later, Iran’s envoy to the IAEA said the agency had confirmed in a report to member states that Tehran has begun the process of enriching uranium to a higher level.

In Brussels, an European Union Commission spokesperson said that the “move, if confirmed, would constitute a considerable departure from Iran’s commitments”.

“All participants are interested in keeping deal alive. The deal will be kept alive as long as all participants keep their commitments.“

READ MORE: US envoy sees new Iran sanctions, no military action

EU said it would wait for a briefing by the head of the IAEA to EU member states before commenting further.

With inputs from Reuters