[ad_1]
The International Atomic Energy Agency said yesterday in a report that Iran has begun enriching uranium in advanced centrifuges at the Natanz facility.
The agency stated that Iran had begun enriching uranium in a third set of advanced IR-2M centrifuges at its underground facility in Natanz.
This is another violation of the nuclear deal that Iran concluded with the major powers in 2015.
In a report obtained by Reuters, the agency said: “On March 7, 2021, the agency confirmed that Iran had started pumping natural uranium hexafluoride in the third series, which includes 174 IR-2M centrifuges.
The agency stated that Iran installed the fourth group of the new generation of centrifuges (containing 174 devices) underground at the Natanz nuclear facility, but has not yet started uranium enrichment, as the devices have not yet been powered with the material.
The agency confirmed that Iran is now working on the installation of the fifth group of the aforementioned centrifuges in Natanz, while the sixth series has not yet started.
This procedure is considered a new step by Iran in the context of what it describes as “reducing its obligations” within the nuclear agreement concluded in 2015 with each of the United States, Russia, China, Great Britain, France and Germany.
Iran began such measures, including increasing uranium enrichment to the 20% level, in 2019 in response to the withdrawal of the United States under its former president, Donald Trump, from the agreement, and its imposition of painful economic sanctions by Iran. .
With the handover of power in Washington to the new president, Joe Biden, expectations have increased that the two parties will return to the implementation of the agreement, to which the rest of its parties urge, but Washington and Tehran disagree who should give the first step in this direction.
Last December, Iran’s Guardian Council passed a bill to accelerate nuclear activities and restrict inspections of nuclear facilities.
The law requires Iran’s Atomic Energy Authority to start increasing uranium enrichment by at least 20% and increase its arsenal of low-enriched uranium.
Iran’s withdrawal from the Additional Protocol would mean restricting inspections of facilities by IAEA inspectors.
(Agencies)
