Iran halts higher-grade uranium enrichment

Iran is halting its higher-grade uranium enrichment.

That was the announcement made Monday by Iran's atomic energy chief Ali Akbar Salehi.

He told Iranian state TV the suspension was happening at two plants, Natanz and Fordow.

(SOUNDBITE) (Farsi) HEAD OF IRAN'S ATOMIC ENERGY ORGANIZATION, DR. ALI AKBAR SALEHI, SAYING:

"In the next hour or two, at Natanz, the links between the cascades will be disconnected and the facility will be sealed. After Natanz, they will move onto Fordow where by noon the operations facility at Fordow will be sealed. So I can say that by noon the process of our enrichment of uranium at 20% will stop."

A confidential UN atomic agency report reviewed by Reuters on Monday confirmed that Iran has halted its most sensitive nuclear activity.

The move comes under a landmark interim deal struck in November between Iran and world powers.

It broke a decades-old stalemate over Iran's disputed nuclear program, and it paves the way f