Ali Akbar Salehi, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), announced that Iran is preparing to launch a new generation centrifuge called the IR-8.  According to Salehi, the IR-8 is capable of producing 24 separative work units (or SWUs), in contrast to Iran's first-generation IR-1 centrifuge, which yields less than 2 SWUs.  Salehi said the IR-8 machines have undergone mechanical tests but have not been injected with uranium hexafluoride (UF6) gas.