Tehran, Jan. 9 (Reuters): Iran confirmed it would resume research on nuclear fuel today, prompting the head of the UN nuclear watchdog to warn that the world was running out of patience with Tehran in the dispute over its nuclear programme.

Germany, France and EU president Austria made clear their opposition to the Iranian decision and Washington urged Iran to observe its commitment to freeze uranium enrichment or face referral to the UN Security Council for possible sanctions.

“Iran will today resume nuclear fuel research as scheduled,” a defiant government spokesman, Gholamhossein Elham, said today. Austrian foreign minister Ursula Plassnik said Iran’s decision was “the wrong step in the wrong direction and a cause of very serious concern”.