Iran should enrich uranium to new levels close to weapons-grade to produce fuel for proposed nuclear-powered oil tankers, a conservative Iranian news website said Monday.

Iran currently has no such ships. The commentary by Mashreghnews.ir, which reflects the views of some Iranian hardliners, comes after a parliamentary committee prepared a bill that would require the Islamic Republic to design nuclear-powered merchant ships and provide them with nuclear fuel.

Nuclear-powered vessels other than warships are rare worldwide. Iran says it is designing a nuclear submarine, but the country is seen to be far from a capability to build such ships.

However, a hypothetical fleet of nuclear-powered ships would be an additional justification -- alongside electricity generation and medical research -- to bolster Iran's claim that it needs higher enrichment for peaceful purposes. The West fears that Iranian enrichment is aimed at developing nuclear weapons, a claim Tehran denies.