concern in the West
Iran is expanding uranium enrichment to almost weapons grade
2/4/2023 3:42 am
Iran is continuing to enrich its uranium. The IAEA reports that the machines in one facility have been modified in such a way that the degree of cleanliness has almost reached weapon quality. Germany and its allies are demanding that the country meet its nuclear commitments.
In the dispute over Iran’s nuclear program, the West has urged Tehran to keep its security commitments. At the same time, Germany, France, Great Britain and the USA criticized the violation of the agreements at the Fordo nuclear power plant recently reported by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Tehran must cooperate “fully” with the IAEA and enable transparency, it said in a joint statement.
A few days ago, the IAEA stated that Iran had significantly changed the configuration of some centrifuges in the underground Fordo facility. The atomic energy authority was not informed in advance, but this would have been necessary according to the international agreements. The affected centrifuges can produce uranium enriched to up to 60 percent – and thus almost to weapons quality. Iran then said the IAEA inspector’s report was wrong.
Tehran must “accept all security controls that the IAEA considers necessary in view of Iran’s production of such highly enriched uranium,” Germany, France, Great Britain and the USA now demanded in a joint statement. At the same time, they again emphasized that there was “no credible civilian justification” for the enrichment of uranium to such an extent.
In the international nuclear agreement with Iran, which is currently on hold, a threshold of 3.67 percent for uranium enrichment was agreed in 2015. Uranium enriched to around 90 percent is required to build atomic bombs.