Tehran's claim that tripling its uranium enrichment speed will help develop cancer treatments is dismissed as 'a provocation'

Western capitals have reacted angrily to an announcement by Iran that it is installing more advanced centrifuges in a uranium enrichment plant with the aim of accelerating its nuclear programme.

"The installation of new centrifuges with better quality and speed is ongoing," Ramin Mehmanparast, the Iranian foreign ministry spokesman, told reporters at his weekly press briefing.

"We have announced it and the agency [the International Atomic Energy Agency] has full supervision of them. They are fully aware that Iran's peaceful nuclear activity continues to progress. This is another confirmation of the Islamic republic's successful strides in its nuclear activities."

However, France said Iran's move – which Tehran claims could triple the rate at which it enriches uranium – confirmed suspicions that the Iranian nuclear programme had "no credible civilian application". The French foreign ministry said: "Iran has just given in to another provocation by announcing the imminent installation of next generation centrifuges.

"This is a new violation of six security council resolutions and 10 resolutions by the council of governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency [IAEA]."

The British Foreign Office said the announcement "further undermines Iran's claim that its nuclear programme is designed for purely peaceful purposes, and demonstrates the urgency of increasing pressure on Iran ... Iran must understand that we will not be distracted by events in the region and it should not doubt our resolve".