Iran tells UN it will boost uranium enrichment capacity
June 5, 2018
Iran has informed the UN that it plans to increase uranium enrichment within the limits of its 2015 deal with world powers. The decision comes as uncertainty about the future of the landmark nuclear deal grows.
Image: BEHROUZ MEHRI/AFP/Getty Images
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Behrouz Kamalvandi, the spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, was quoted by state media as saying that a letter detailing the decision to increase uranium enrichment had been submitted to the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Ali Akbar Salehi, the director of Iran's atomic program and one of the country's vice presidents, also confirmed that work had begun on advanced centrifuges at the Natanz facility.
Salehi said the latest nuclear activities would remain within the framework of the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and global powers, and "do not mean the negotiations [with Europe] have failed."
"If conditions allow, maybe tomorrow night at Natanz, we can announce the opening of the center for production of new centrifuges" for uranium enrichment, Salehi said Tuesday, quoted by conservative news agency Fars.
Observers have shown differing reactions to the announcement, and with it, the fate of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), often referred to as the Iran nuclear deal, signed by China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany and the EU in 2015.
Maja Kocijancic, a spokeswoman for EU diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini, said that Iran's steps did not constitute a breach of the agreement, but added: "However, at this critical juncture, they will not contribute to build confidence in the nature of the Iranian nuclear program."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who claimed this week that Iran was clearly aiming "to create an arsenal of nuclear bombs" to destroy his country, addressed the fate of the JCPOA at a press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris Tuesday: "I didn't ask France to withdraw from the JCPOA because I think it is basically going to be dissolved by the weight of economic forces."
Macron used the opportunity to call on "everyone to stabilize the situation and not give into this escalation which would lead to only one thing: conflict."
A reaction to Trump's withdrawal?
In a speech on Monday, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed to preserve Iran's nuclear program despite growing pressure from the US.
In May, US President Donald Trump announced the US's withdrawal from the 2015 JCPOA, approved by his predecessor, Barack Obama. Apart from the US and Iran, the UK, Russia, France, China and Germany had also signed the accord.
Iran insists it has the option of resuming industrial-scale enrichment following the US exit from the deal.
French President Macron has been pushing for a new Iran nuclear deal through which the US and Europe could tackle Trump's concerns about Tehran's nuclear program and beyond. A new accord could also take into account Iran's ballistic missile program, and stop Tehran's activities in Syria and Yemen.
But the European Union believes the existing nuclear deal is effective and has largely curtailed Iran's nuclear activities.
A year after Donald Trump pulled the US from the international nuclear accord with Iran, the Middle East nation announced it would no longer adhere to some "voluntary commitments" in the accord.
Image: picture-alliance/epa/D. Calma
The deal breaker
President Donald Trump announced on May 8, 2018 that he was pulling the United States out of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, arguing that the international accord was not in America's "national interest." The decision threw a cloud of uncertainty over the future of the nuclear accord and raised tensions with US allies in Europe.
Image: Reuters/J. Ernst
Slap in the face
Britain, France and Germany lobbied the Trump administration and Congress to remain in the nuclear accord, arguing that the deal was working and a US violation without a follow up plan would be destabilizing. In European capitals, the Trump administration's withdrawal was viewed as a slap in the face of allies.
Image: Reuters/K. Lamarque
Iran scrap 'voluntary commitments'
A year to the day after Trump's announcement, Iran informed the other signatories of the accord that they would no longer adhere to certain "voluntary commitments." Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said the signatory nations had 60 days to implement promises to protect Iran's oil and banking sectors or Iran would resume the enrichment of uranium.
The decision came after the United States deployed an aircraft, the USS Lincoln, along with a bomber task force to the Middle East. Washington said the deployment was intended as a "clear unmistakable message." Iran said it took action because the European Union and others "did not have the power to resist US pressure."
Image: AP
A triumph of diplomacy
The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), better known as the Iran nuclear deal, was signed in 2015 by United States, China, Russia, France, Germany and Britain (P5+1) and Iran following years of negotiations. Under the international agreement, Iran agreed to dismantle its nuclear program and be subject to monitoring in exchange for the lifting of international nuclear related sanctions.
Image: picture alliance / landov
Compliance and verification
The JCPOA includes a robust monitoring, verification and inspection regime carried out by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The UN watch dog has verified Iran's compliance with the deal in 12 quarterly reports. The JCPOA allows Iran to pursue a peaceful nuclear program for commercial, medical and industrial purposes in line with international non-proliferation standards.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/R. Schlager
Obama's achievement
The Iran nuclear deal was President Barack Obama's signature foreign policy achievement. Seeking to undo nearly every Obama administration legacy, Trump came into office calling it the "worst deal ever." The Trump administration argues the nuclear deal doesn't address other unrelated issues such as Iran's ballistic missiles, regional influence, support for "terrorist" groups and human rights.
Image: Reuters/Y. Gripas
Iranians approved
The nuclear deal and lifting of punishing nuclear related international sanctions created optimism in Iran after years of economic isolation. However, even before Trump pulled the US out of the deal, Tehran blamed the US for holding back international investment and not fulfilling its end of the bargain due to the uncertainty created by Trump's threats.
Image: picture alliance/AA/F. Bahrami
The opponents
After eight years with Barack Obama, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu found the US president he wanted in Donald Trump. The Israeli leader repeatedly slammed the deal despite his own military and intelligence chiefs' assessment the that JCPOA, while not perfect, was working and should be maintained. Saudi Arabia and the UAE are the other main opponents of the nuclear deal.
Image: Reuters/R. Zvulun
Who's left?
The EU-3 (Britain, France, Germany) have scrambled to ensure that Iran receives the economic benefits it was promised in order to avoid Tehran pulling out of the deal. As EU businesses face retaliation from the US for doing business with Iran, many are opting to avoid Iran. This would likely be a present to Chinese and Russian businesses.
