The UN Security Council has demanded that Iran halt enrichment, which the West fears Tehran could use to develop nuclear weapons technology.

"In the next 20 years, we should have at least 20,000 megawatts of nuclear electricity," Khamenei said in a speech in the central city of Yazd, state television reported.

"The nation which is carrying out enrichment by relying on itself will build the plants too. If the nation had not done the enrichment, it would be behind by years."

Russia is building Iran's first 1,000 megawatt nuclear power station in the southern city of Bushehr and is also supplying the nuclear fuel for the reactor.