Iran begins enrichment of uranium metal at 20%; gives notice to IAEA

Iran on Tuesday began the process of manufacturing enriched uranium metal at 20 percent purity of the reactor fuel capable of making nuclear weapons at the Fuel Fabrication Plant in Esfahan, the Islamic Republic notified the UN atomic watchdog International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), according to multiple reports. The move has been widely condemned by the US, who labelled the act as ‘brinksmanship’, as well as E3 and other Western powers that are now pushing to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal or The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). 

The deal was negotiated between Iran and the P5+1 on July 20, 2015, and was endorsed by UN Security Council Resolution for Iran’s compliance with the nuclear-related provisions to restrict its nuclear program. And in return, the  IAEA had certified the US,  EU, and UN sanctions relief on Iran. In 2018, although, the United States unilaterally withdrew from the JCPOA after the then-US President Donald Trump accused Iran of failing to curtail its ballistic missile program, ignoring the deal's limitations, and resuming the nuclear activities for regional influence.

The US re-imposed sanctions lifted by the accord and announced the termination of designated sanctions waivers mentioned in the JCPOA. Trump also labelled the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist organization and ordered the drone strike against Iranian major general Qasem Soleimani near Baghdad International Airport. The US exercised a “maximum pressure” policy against Tehran for the regime’s ‘hostage-taking and funding terror groups.’

Enriching uranium at 60% purity

In February this year, the EU diplomats, US, France, and Germany kick-started talks once again for the revival of the deal ahead of the deadline set up by Iran that threatened commitments to preserve the JCPOA. UN nuclear watchdog chief Director General Rafael Grossi pushed for the “mutually acceptable solution” and resolution of the diplomatic standoff between Iran and the US. Iran’s ambassador Kazem Gharibabadi’s meanwhile had dispatched a letter to The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) which stated that the country was going to impose the restrictions on inspectors, effective Feb. 23. 

Amid the stalled talks, Iran also commenced enriching the uranium at purity levels that “only countries making bombs” reached at 60 percent purity. The enrichment pushed Iran towards the 90 percent suitable for manufacturing nuclear bombs. Director-general of the IAEA, Rafael Grossi, reportedly said in an interview that Iran was enriching the uranium to a degree that “requires a vigilant eye,” adding that 60 percent was almost "weapons-grade" as the commercial enrichment was approximately two or three percent. 

Questioning Iran’s latest uranium metal R&D and production, Britain, France, and Germany expressed concerns as they each said that the Islamic Republic had “no civilian needs” for enriching uranium metal at 20 percent. US Department of State spokesperson Ned Price meanwhile condemned Iran’s violation of the agreement with experiments that have value for nuclear weapons research.