Iran has resumed enriching uranium to 20% purity, it announced on Monday. This move has been seen as a violation, on Iran’s part, of the 2015 nuclear deal signed with world powers to reduce nuclear facilities and could further deepen tensions between Iran and US, in the last days of Trump’s administration.
An Iranian government spokesman revealed that the enrichment was taking place at its underground Fordow nuclear facility, a few days after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) revealed that Iran had informed the watchdog of its uranium enrichment process, at a level much higher than the agreed level of enrichment.
“Iran today began feeding uranium already enriched up to 4.1% U-235 into six centrifuge cascades at the Fordo Fuel Enrichment Plant for further enrichment up to 20%,” the IAEA said in a statement.
This development comes amid amplified tensions between the US and Iran and almost a year after the US killing of general Qassem Soleimani, Iran’s top general.
Iran, however, continues to reiterate that its nuclear program is peaceful.
