US and three European countries warn about consequences of Iran's decision to produce metallic uranium

The United States and three European countries warned on Tuesday, July 5, that Iran's move to produce 20 percent enriched uranium metal would jeopardize talks to revive the nuclear agreement known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in Vienna, the capital of Austria.

The foreign ministers of the three European countries participating in the Vienna talks have expressed their "deep concern" in a joint statement about Iran's intention to produce 20 percent pure uranium metal for research reactor fuel.

The foreign ministers of Britain and France have emphasized that this action by Iran is a serious violation of its commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA.

The three European countries said in the statement: "With its latest actions, Iran threatens the successful outcome of the Vienna talks, despite the progress achieved in the six rounds of talks so far."

The International Atomic Energy Agency announced earlier that day that Iran had informed the agency that it intends to produce 20 percent pure uranium metal for research reactor fuel.

The IAEA said in its report that Iran reported today that 20 percent enriched uranium oxide has been transferred to the Isfahan facility to be converted into uranium metal.

The foreign ministers of three European countries say that Iran has no peaceful need to manufacture and research uranium metal, which is a key step in building a nuclear weapon .

The three European countries further stated that this action was taken in a situation where Iran, by withdrawing from the monitoring arrangements agreed upon in the JCPOA, has fundamentally limited the access of the International Atomic Energy Agency and has also stopped implementing the Additional Protocol.

The statement by the British and French foreign ministers continued, "We strongly urge Iran to cease all activities that violate the JCPOA without delay and to return to the negotiations in Vienna, with a view to bringing them to a rapid conclusion."

They have said, we have repeatedly emphasized that time is not on either side's side.

US: Iran is complicating the return to the JCPOA

A US State Department spokesman warned on Tuesday that Iran's decision to produce uranium metal could complicate the country's return to the JCPOA agreement.

Ned Price said it is worrying that Iran would prefer to escalate its non-compliance with the non-proliferation agreement, particularly with tests that are valuable for nuclear weapons research.

He also said, "This is another regrettable step backwards on the part of Iran, especially when we, in turn, have shown our sincere intention and desire to return to [the JCPOA agreement].

The US State Department spokesman also called on Iran to stop adventurism and return to Vienna for "serious" negotiations.

Ned Price emphasized that Iran "should be prepared to complete the work we started in April."

Meanwhile, Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran's representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency, said that the Atomic Energy Organization's plan to produce a silicide fuel plate for use in the Tehran reactor was notified to the agency nine days ago and its operational activities began immediately.

On December 1, 2019, the Iranian parliament, in a resolution approved by the Guardian Council, required the government to suspend voluntary implementation of the Additional Protocol if financial, banking, and oil sanctions were not lifted by March 20 of that year and to put uranium metal production, 20 percent enrichment, and the use of advanced centrifuges on its agenda.

Source: Radio Farda