Iran starts enriching uranium to 60% purity in response to Israel's alleged attack of Natanz Fuel Enrichment Plant

Tehran Times
Tue, 13 Apr 2021 18:17 UTC

Araghchi broke the story as he visited Vienna on Tuesday for nuclear deal talks with P4 + 1 group, which is set to start on Thursday.

Addition of centrifuges at Natanz nuclear site.

Abbas Araghchi emphasized that another 1,000 centrifuges with 50% more capacity will be added to the existing machines in Natanz, in addition to replacing the damaged machines.

In a speech to the Assembly of Experts last year, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, stressed, "The Islamic Republic will not back down from its rational position on the nuclear issue, and according to the interests and needs of the country, it will go as far as 60% enrichment as needed."

IAEA was informed of Iran's decision to enrich 60% uranium, says AEOI spokesman

Behrouz Kamalvandi spoke with the state news agency IRNA on Tuesday afternoon, revealing details about Iran's decision to enrich uranium up to 60%, stating that the process will start on Tuesday night.

"By the order of the president, the Atomic Energy Organization (of Iran) it was instructed to launch a 60% uranium production line in the amount required within the framework of Article 1 of the law on Strategic Action for Lifting Sanctions, approved by the parliament," Kamalvandi said.

He stated that in this regard, the DIQ (Design Information Questionnaire) was immediately submitted to the International Atomic Energy Agency, and the executive preparations for this work will begin in the enrichment facility on Tuesday night. He said that additional information will be released soon.

"From tonight, the executive preparations for 60% enrichment will begin in Natanz. 60% uranium is used to make a variety of radiopharmaceuticals," spokesman for Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) said.

"Tonight, the new IR1 centrifuges will replace the broken ones, and the new IR1s will have a capacity of 50% more than the previous ones." Kamalvandi added.

It should be noted that 60% enriched uranium is used in the production of molybdenum to be used in the manufacture of radiopharmaceuticals.

Based on the timing, Iran's declaration of 60 percent enrichment seemed to be an attempt to send a message to the global powers with whom it is negotiating about its nuclear program that, after the sabotage act at Natanz on Sunday, it can maintain pressure on them.

Iran definitely moving towards 60% enrichment, says Salehi

"Replaced centrifuges are among the most advanced centrifuges, and we are definitely moving towards 60% enrichment," said Ali Akbar Salehi, the AEOI director.

"The emergency power supply of the Natanz facility is currently connected and the main power supply will be connected in the coming days," he stated.

He also stated that damaged centrifuges replaced with the most advanced centrifuges.

"Each and every centrifuge is being inspected and damaged centrifuges will be replaced," Salehi said.

SA/SM

Comment: Naturally, this news will provide the Israeli government, military and intelligence agencies with a new ready-made justification for attacking Iran.

Iran announced this highly contentious development to the UN:

Kazem Gharib Abadi, Iran's ambassador to the United Nations office in Vienna, said Monday that the attack on the Natanz Fuel Enrichment Plant would only result in the older uranium centrifuges being replaced with newer, more advanced ones.

"Enrichment in Natanz is not stopped," Abadi wrote on Twitter. "Iran will react including by planning to implement several technical measures which the [International Atomic Energy] Agency will be informed [of] this week. Replacement process of the damaged centrifuges, including with the same machines with more capacity, has immediately begun."

On Sunday, an explosion outside the Natanz plant temporarily shut off power to the facility, which produces enriched uranium for medical and power generation purposes. Tehran has denounced the incident as "nuclear terrorism" and blamed Israel, which in response has only reaffirmed its presumed right to attack Iran as "self-defense."

An Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson earlier identified the damaged centrifuges as IR-1s, the oldest such devices in use in Iran. According to the JCPOA, Iran is only allowed to operate the slow IR-1s at Natanz and only above ground, where they are more vulnerable to attack. However, last month, the IAEA announced that Iran had begun using more advance IR-4 centrifuges at Natanz, which are four times more efficient than the IR-1s, and that they had been moved underground.

Natanz was previously attacked in July 2020 in an apparent sabotage incident that destroyed an above-ground centrifuge workshop.

It's unclear which type of centrifuge will replace the damage IR-1s. However, the day before the most recent attack was Iran's National Day of Nuclear Technology, and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani announced that 164 IR-6 centrifuges had been brought online at Natanz, with another 30 beginning the preparation process.

The attack has come amid negotiations in Vienna aimed at reviving the JCPOA, which the US left in 2018 amid unsubstantiated claims Iran was in violation of the deal. After the US reimposed economic sanctions on Iran and forced its allies to comply, Tehran began backing away from the terms of the deal, which imposed strict limits on its uranium production and a renunciation of the pursuit of nuclear weapons. After US President Joe Biden took office earlier this year, it was anticipated he would depart from the policy of his predecessor, former US President Donald Trump, and return to the JCPOA. However, the US has so far been hesitant to do so, insisting Iran make the first move.

Israel has also claimed Iran has a secret nuclear weapons program, but Tehran has rejected the claims, saying the Shiite-led government opposes nuclear weapons on a religious basis.