Iran accelerates its nuclear enrichment program: what does it mean?

In the midst of a political crisis after two months of protests and increasingly harsh repression, Tehran decided to accelerate its nuclear program: began producing 60% enriched uranium in a new plant.

This decision responds to the recent resolution of the Board of Governors of the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency), presented by the United States, France, Great Britain and Germany, which condemns Iran and calls for greater cooperation.

It’s a real tipping point, because Iran has increased its level of uranium enrichment from 20% to 60% on the site of fordoan underground power plant located 180 km south of Tehran, which has been reformed to improve its capacity, and which reopened in 2019 as it began to break with the international agreement with the major powers on its nuclear programme.

“Iran has begun production of enriched uranium for the first time in Fordo,” the IAEA said.

The deposit is buried under the mountains and cannot be destroyed for a bombing. Iran was already getting 60% richer at Natanz, the other enrichment center in the country.

new centrifuges

Secondly, two new cascade centrifuges IR-2 and IR-4 will go into operation in Natanz in a few days. I’m much more powerful and faster compared to the old ones.

Thirdly, Fordo’s 1,044 IR-1 centrifuges will be replaced by IR-6 centrifuges, which are ten times faster and more powerful.

Finally, modern centrifuges will gradually be installed in two empty pavilions in Natanz and Fordo, in accordance with the 2015 nuclear deal.

What does it mean

At this point, Iran would already have enough enriched uranium for several bombs. With these new measures, Iran’s ability will increase further. This represents a new challenge for Western countries.

Negotiations to revive the 2015 international agreement are at an impasse.

Also, the manufacture of a nuclear bomb requires a 90% uranium enrichment levelso that by reaching the level of 60% it is very significant.

Iran has always denied that its nuclear activities are aimed at developing a bomb and insists on its agenda It has civilian purposes.

Under the international agreement signed in 2015, Iran agreed that the Fordo plant would be limited to enrich uranium to 3.67%, a sufficient amount for civilian uses, under various commitments and restrictions on its nuclear activities.

In return, the great powers sanctions against Tehran eased for its nuclear program.

But this deal has been reeling since 2018 when the United States unilaterally withdrew during the Donald Trump administration and reinstated sanctions against Iran.

The following year Tehran it began to unravel progressively from its obligations.

In January 2021, Iran said it was working to enrich uranium to 20%. Several months later another Iranian facility hit 60%.

On Thursday, the IAEA Board of Governors passed a critical resolution Iran’s lack of cooperation and it is the second pronouncement in this sense, after another statement released in June.

Tehran has announced that it will take retaliatory measures to respond to the IAEA resolution.

The official ISNA agency said so increasing the capacity of the Fordo plant is part of the Iranian response.

US President Joe Biden has expressed his desire for Washington to participate in a reactivation of the international agreement and talks have been ongoing since April last year.

But last month the chief of US diplomacy, Antony Blinken, said he saw little chance of restoring the deal, at a time when Iran faces a wave of demonstrations began in September with the death in prison of the young Mahsa Amini, arrested by the morality police.

Iran’s nemesis in the region, Israel, has never ruled out taking action if deemed necessary to prevent Iran from developing nuclear capabilities.

AFP and FRY

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