Iranian state media reported that the major nuclear facility in Natanz is getting 1,000 new centrifuges for uranium enrichment. Problems were identified at this site last weekend, one day after the new centrifuges were commissioned. According to Iran, arch-enemy Israel is guilty of sabotage.
Iran does not abide by the nuclear agreement regarding its nuclear activities. The aim of the deal was to prevent Iran from producing nuclear weapons, an ambition Iran says it does not have. For these weapons, the uranium must be enriched to a purity of over 90%. Among other things, a 3.67 percent limit was set in exchange for the lifting of sanctions.
Iran has also agreed to controls from the International Atomic Energy Agency. The United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed earlier this year that Iran is enriching uranium to a purity of 20 percent, after the country itself announced this. This year, the agency’s inspections have been limited.
The agreement was honored until US President Donald Trump’s unilateral withdrawal from the United States in mid-2018. Then the sanctions that had been previously lifted against Iran were reinstated. In response, Tehran decided not to abide by the agreement.
Iran will continue talks this week with China, Russia, France, the United Kingdom and Germany about the recovery of the nuclear deal. The United States participates indirectly in the discussions through mediators. It is looking at which US sanctions should be lifted and what Iran should do to be able to comply with the agreement again.
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