ran has told the UN nuclear watchdog it will increase its nuclear enrichment capacity within the limits set by the 2015 agreement with world powers, in a move seen as signalling its willingness to act if the nuclear accord unravels.
The modest steps announced last night appeared to be mainly aimed at signalling that Iran could resume its drive toward industrial-scale enrichment.
Behrouz Kamalvandi, the spokesman for Iran’s nuclear agency, was quoted by state TV as saying a letter had been sent to the International Atomic Energy Agency detailing the move.
He said Iran was “providing infrastructure and arrangements for high-speed and capacity in production of UF4 and UF6 gases as well as rotor of centrifuges.” Spinning centrifuges convert the gases into enriched uranium that can be used for reactor fuel and medical isotopes. If enriched to higher levels, the material can be used for weapons.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ordered the increase in capacity in a speech on Monday, in which he vowed Iran would preserve its nuclear program despite the US withdrawal
Read the article by David Charter in The Australian.