What does Iran’s return to 20% uranium enrichment mean? World

Government spokesman Ali Rabiei told state press that the process began at the Fordo underground plant, near the city of Qom.

Enriched uranium can be used to make jet fuel, but also to make nuclear bombs. The uranium used to make weapons is 90% pure.

Iran, which insists its nuclear program is peaceful, has canceled a number of commitments under the agreement.

The country said it is retaliating against economic sanctions imposed by the United States, which were reinstated by President Donald Trump when he abandoned the agreement in 2018.

But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Iran’s decision “cannot be explained in any way except by the continued progress of its intention to develop a military nuclear program.”

“Israel will not allow Iran to manufacture nuclear weapons,” he added.

European Union spokesman Peter Stano said Iran’s action, if confirmed, would constitute a “considerable deviation” from its commitments under the nuclear deal and would have “serious implications (in terms of) nuclear non-proliferation.”

Rabiei told the Irna news agency on Monday (4) that the process of enrichment of uranium to 20% had started “a few hours ago” in Fordo.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani ordered the process due to a new law that requires the production and storage of up to 120 kg of 20% enriched uranium annually for peaceful purposes.

Iran’s parliament passed this law after the assassination in late November of the country’s top nuclear scientist, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, which Iranian leaders blamed on Israel.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed the 20% enrichment at the Iranian plant in a report to its member states.

“Iran began today (4) to feed uranium already enriched with 4.1% U-235 in six centrifuges at the Fordo plant to enrich it by up to 20%,” the statement said.

What is enriched uranium?

Enriched uranium is produced by feeding uranium hexafluoride gas into centrifuges to separate the most suitable isotope for nuclear fission, called U-235.

Low-enriched uranium, which is typically 3 to 5% pure U-235, can be used to produce fuel for commercial nuclear power plants.

Highly enriched uranium has a concentration of 20% or more and is used in research reactors.

Under the terms of the nuclear deal, Iran was allowed to enrich uranium to only 3.67% purity, to store a maximum of 300 kg of the material, to operate a maximum of 5,060 of its oldest and least efficient centrifuges, and had forced to completely stop enrichment at Fordo.

But Iran has taken steps to “reduce” those commitments since Trump reinstated sanctions to force it to negotiate a replacement for a deal it said was “essentially flawed.”

Steps included increasing stocks of low-enriched uranium, producing 4.5% -enriched uranium, restarting advanced centrifuges, and resuming enrichment activities at Fordo.

Iran stressed that decisions can be reversed if US sanctions are lifted.

US President-elect Joe Biden, who will take office on January 20, said he would consider returning to the nuclear deal, provided Iran fully resumes it and commits to new rules.

But the recent move by Iran may hamper Biden’s bid to re-enter the deal.

Why is 20% purity too much?

Experts from the Arms Control Association said last month that 120 kg of 20% enriched uranium was about half the amount of uranium that, when enriched to weapons level (90% or more), would be needed to a bomb.

They also warned that highly enriched uranium production would pose a more serious proliferation risk in the short term.

This is because going from the natural state of uranium with a concentration of 0.7% U-235 to 20% requires about 90% of the total effort required to reach weapons-grade manufacturing.

Before making the nuclear deal, Iran had enough 20% enriched uranium and several centrifuges with an estimated “completion time” of around two to three months.

The agreement reduced the “time window” to at least one year.

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