The Reuters news agency reported that the Iranian regime has informed the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of its intention to install more centrifuges at the Fordow and Natanz nuclear facilities.
According to the confidential report reviewed by Reuters, the Iranian regime also notified the IAEA of plans to bring recently installed devices at these facilities online.
The confidential IAEA report to member states did not mention uranium enrichment by the Iranian regime to 60% purity.
The Iranian government informed the IAEA that eight cascades of advanced IR-6 centrifuges will be installed at Fordow to enrich uranium up to 5%.
On Thursday, November 21, the IAEA’s Board of Governors passed a resolution condemning the Iranian regime for its lack of cooperation with the agency and its concealment of nuclear activities.
The resolution urged the Iranian regime to promptly provide credible explanations regarding uranium particles of human origin found at two undisclosed locations in Iran. It also called on Iran to inform the IAEA about the current location of any accumulated nuclear material or contaminated equipment, to provide the necessary documents and responses, and to grant inspectors access to the required sites and materials.
On Thursday, November 21, Laura Holgate, the U.S. representative to the IAEA praised the agency’s director-general for issuing a verification and monitoring report on Iran’s nuclear activities, which led to the adoption of the resolution against the Iranian government.
Holgate, highlighting the continued installation of additional advanced centrifuge cascades and the accumulation of larger amounts of highly enriched uranium by Iran, and referencing the director-general’s mention of these actions in the recent report, stated that this report makes clear, the leaders of the Iranian government are rapidly expanding their nuclear program, which is deeply concerning.
She emphasized that stocks of highly enriched uranium serve no peaceful purpose, adding that only countries with nuclear weapons enrich uranium to 60%. Holgate said that if the Iranian regime wants to build trust and claims its nuclear program is peaceful, it must not only halt further production of 60% enriched uranium but also completely eliminate its existing 60% stockpile.
The U.S. representative to the IAEA expressed deep regret over the Iranian regime’s obstructionism regarding safeguards concerns and failure to fulfill its legal obligations, stating that Tehran must fully implement its safeguard commitments without further delay and take seriously the implementation of the Additional Protocol and full transparency regarding the production of centrifuge components.
Following this condemnation, Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Atomic Energy Organization issued a joint statement announcing that orders have been given to launch a new set of advanced centrifuges in the country.
