Teheran. Photo:Shutterstock
The World Daily | News Desk JANUARY 5th 2021
The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed that Iran resumed uranium enrichment to a target of 20 percent of the fissile isotope U-235 on Monday, something it has not done since it signed an agreement with world powers in 2015 to end its military nuclear program.
“Iran today began introducing uranium (hexafluoride) enriched to 4.1% U-235 into six (gas) centrifuge cascades at the Fordo (nuclear) fuel enrichment facility to further enrich to 20%.” - reads the communique in which the UN agency based in Vienna discussed the report of its director general. The report was sent to the IAEA member states on Monday afternoon.
On January 1, the IAEA announced that Iran had notified it of its intention to resume uranium enrichment to 20 percent. U-235 in Fordo plants hidden in the rock interior of the mountain.
US accuses Iran of “nuclear blackmail”
The United States criticized Iran's resumption of the uranium enrichment process well above the limit set in the international agreement of 2015. “Iran's enrichment of uranium to 20 percent is a clear attempt to escalate its nuclear blackmail campaign that will fail,” a State Department spokesman said.
This means a further breach of the 2015 agreement between the world powers and Iran on the liquidation of its military nuclear program in return for the gradual lifting of international sanctions imposed on Tehran. This step will also hinder possible efforts by US President-elect Joe Biden to re-accede to the above-mentioned agreement, from which President Donald Trump withdrew them in 2018 in order to be able to restore earlier sanctions, Reuters notes.
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