Iran’s 20% Enriched Uranium Reserves Reach 55 Kilograms
Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization announced that the country’s reserves of 20% enriched uranium have reached 55 kilograms. The spokesman of the Atomic Energy Organization stated that the production rate of 20% enriched uranium is much higher than before the JCPOA.
Behrouz Kamalvandi, spokesman of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, announced on Wednesday, April 18 (April 7) the enrichment level in accordance with the “Strategic Action to Lift Sanctions” law at 120 kilograms. This law was passed by the Iranian parliament last year.
Kamalvandi said that to date, 55 kilograms of 20% enriched uranium has been produced and Iran has completed approximately half the way, and with the current pace can reach the target in less than eight months.
Kamalvandi also added that the production rate of Iran’s 20% enriched uranium is higher than before the JCPOA.
The Atomic Energy Organization spokesman, referring to the production of new centrifuges, said that due to the use of the new generation of centrifuges such as IR6 which have eight times the capacity of first generation centrifuges, Iran’s uranium production rate has increased.
He emphasized that now the Islamic Republic of Iran is rapidly obtaining whatever was intended to revive what was set aside because of the JCPOA, and is quickly positioning itself in a situation better than before the JCPOA.
Behrouz Kamalvandi’s remarks were made one day after the Vienna meeting on reviving the JCPOA agreement.
The Vienna meeting between Iran and the five world powers that signed the JCPOA took place on Tuesday, April 17 (April 6) aimed at finding ways to revive the 2015 nuclear agreement.
Reuters news agency reported that regional countries, particularly Israel and Saudi Arabia, are concerned about equipping Iran with nuclear weapons.
Increasing uranium enrichment in Iran can have dual-use peaceful and military applications. The Islamic Republic of Iran has repeatedly emphasized that the objectives of this country’s atomic programs are peaceful and are purely research-oriented.
Following the arrival of the Biden administration in the United States, the country announced its willingness to return to the nuclear agreement. The Biden administration, however, made the lifting of sanctions conditional on Iran’s adherence to its JCPOA commitments. Iran also announced that it would only cease violating its commitments if the United States lifts sanctions beforehand.
The 4+1 talks (United States, Russia, China, Britain, and Germany) with Iran are scheduled to continue on Friday, April 9 (April 20) in Vienna.
Source: DW
