Iran carries out its promise to increase uranium enrichment.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has reported that Iran is progressively increasing its uranium enrichment activities. This includes operating more high-performance centrifuges for enrichment purposes.
Iran has also declared its plans to install more of these high-tech centrifuges. There are already around 350 of these new models in an underground facility in Fordow, and 350 more are under construction, as per the report from the IAEA.
Last week, the Governors Board of the International Atomic Energy Agency passed a resolution, urging Iran to cooperate with IAEA inspectors to address unresolved issues related to Iran's suspected covert nuclear activities in the past.
Germany, France, and Britain warned that the UN Security Council might be activated if Iran didn't respond. In response, Iran's government threatened a "proportional, effective, and immediate response."
The US State Department responded harshly to the Iranian actions detailed in the IAEA report. "These actions detailed in the report further undermine Tehran's claim that its nuclear program is strictly for peaceful purposes," stated Matthew Miller, the department's spokesman on Thursday. The US will "take appropriate steps" if Iran continues with its plans.
While Iran claims its enrichment activities are for non-weapons purposes, the purity of the uranium it's producing is closer to that for nuclear weapons. Iran had agreed in 2015 to limit its nuclear program in return for sanctions relief. The deal was canceled by then-US President Donald Trump, prompting Iran to restart its uranium enrichment facilities.
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The international community is concerned about Iran's increasing uranium enrichment activities, as the degree of purity approached levels suitable for nuclear weapons. Given the escalating threats, strict requirements must be met to ensure Iran's uranium enrichment remains peaceful.
