In the latest sign that time is running out for the West to save the Iran nuclear deal, the UN nuclear watchdog has formally announced that it is informed by Tehran that Iran has decided to start enriching uranium to 20%, a major development that could spell the end of a deal that has long been on life support.
Following the leakage of an Iranian letter to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) outlining Iran’s intention to resume 20% uranium enrichment, the UN nuclear body put out a statement confirming that Iran has actually informed it of its decision to substantially raise the level of uranium enrichment up to 20 percent, which is well beyond the 3.67% purity limit set by the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
“Iran has informed the Agency that in order to comply with a legal act recently passed by the country’s parliament, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran intends to produce low-enriched uranium (LEU) up to 20 percent at the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant,” the IAEA statement said.
Iran has confirmed that it intends to increase its nuclear activities, saying it will raise the level of uranium enrichment “as soon as possible.”
“We have sent a letter to the representative of the Islamic Republic to the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna to submit it to the Agency. This letter was submitted to the Agency on Friday, informing it that we want to start 20% enrichment in accordance with the parliament law,” Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), said in a televised interview on Friday.
