Iran begins enriching uranium by up to 20%

Iran will use new-generation centrifuges for three months: 1,000 IR-2M centrifuges and at least 174 IR-6 centrifuges.

In Iran, at the Fordow nuclear facility, the 20% uranium enrichment process has begun. This was stated by the official representative of the country’s government, Ali Rabia, RIA Novosti reported on Monday, January 4.

“The Iranian president ordered a few days before to start enrichment to 20%. A few hours before, after a series of preliminary measures … the process of supplying UF6 gas (uranium hexafluoride) began. The first product will be obtained in about hours, “Rabii said.

Last month, Iran ratified a law initiated by parliament, the Strategic Action to Lift Sanctions, which involves the production of uranium at a 20% enrichment level (more enriched uranium is considered weapon-friendly).

The law also foresees the use of new generations of centrifuges within a period of three months: 1,000 IR-2M centrifuges and at least 174 IR-6 centrifuges. The number of the latter is bound to increase to a thousand in one year.

At the same time, the nuclear deal involves only the use of the first generation IR-1 centrifuges and the enrichment of uranium to the level of 3.67%.

The law obliges the government to abandon the additional protocol with the IAEA on expanded verification of nuclear activities, if within two months of the “entry into force” of the law, the parties to the transaction do not comply with the agreement. The parliamentarians insist on the normalization of banking operations and oil exports to Europe, hampered by US sanctions.

The resolution had been in the works for a long time, but in light of the assassination of nuclear physicist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh at the end of November, parliament considered it in a rush.

Recall that Iran gradually began refusing to comply with the terms of the nuclear deal after the United States unilaterally withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action in May 2018 and began tightening sanctions against Tehran.

Other members of the JCPOA, including Germany, France and the United Kingdom, advocated for its preservation.

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