The President of Iran – Hassan Rouhani has said that Iran will start infusing uranium gas into centrifuges at its Fordow facility
In a major development, following the fall-out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) or Iran Nuclear deal, the President of Iran – Hassan Rouhani has said that Iran will start infusing uranium gas into centrifuges at its Fordow facility.
In a televised speech, Rouhani said that a total of 1,044 machines at the facility have been injected with the uranium gas. He also said that all the steps taken by Iran are reversible provided the member nations of the deal ensure to safeguard Iran from the U.S. sanctions. Iran has also accused U.S. of promoting economic terrorism against them after the U.S. asked its allies to stop procuring crude oil from Iran.
Iran has 2 vast enrichment sites at Natanz and Fordow. While the site of Natanz is developed deep underground, the site at Fordow is buried inside a mountain, which is widely believed to protect them from aerial bombardment. Before the deal, Iran used Fordow to enrich uranium to 20% fissile purity. As per the JCPOA deal, the Fordow plant was converted to a research facility. But the recent escalations mean that the Fordow facility has again become a nuclear plant.
Speaking on the occasion, Rouhani said, “We know their sensitivity with regard to Fordow. With regard to these centrifuges, we know. But at the same time when they uphold their commitments, we will cut off the gas again … So it is possible to reverse this step.”
He further added, “We can’t unilaterally accept that we completely fulfil our commitments and they don’t follow up on their commitments.”
This is the 4th escalation by Iran since the deal got abandoned. Besides, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) has said that it had doubled the number of advanced IR-6 centrifuges. These centrifuges can produce enriched uranium 10 times faster than the first-generation IR-1s.
Iran has said that it will continue producing enriched uranium and will not hold any talks with the U.S. unless U.S. removes all the sanctions it imposed on Iran.
At the same time, Russia has expressed concerns over the recent escalation. Speaking on the occasion, the President of Russia – Vladimir Putin said, “We are monitoring the development of the situation with concern. We support the preservation of this deal.”
In the meantime, the U.S. Department of States, has imposed new sanctions on 9 people, under the inner circle of Supreme Leader of Iran – Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, including one of his sons. The list includes Khamenei’s Chief of Staff, the Head of the Judiciary and Senior Military figures.
For the records, the JCPOA deal was reached in Vienna on July 14, 2015, between Iran, the P5+1 (the 5 permanent members of the United Nations Security Council—China, France, Russia, U.K., U.S. – plus Germany) and European Union (E.U.). As per the agreement, Iran agreed to eliminate its stockpile of medium-enriched uranium, cut its stockpile of low-enriched uranium by 98%, and reduce by about 2/3rd the number of its gas centrifuges for 13 years. For the next 15 years Iran was required only to enrich uranium up to 3.67%.
However, things hit a low when U.S. abandoned the deal in 2018. In response to U.S.’s withdrawal, produced low-enriched uranium beyond the permissible limits of JCPOA.
