Iran wants to build new centrifuges

Dispute over nuclear program

Criticism of nuclear resolution: Iran wants to build new centrifuges

The nuclear dispute with Iran is entering a new round. Tehran condemns a critical resolution by the International Atomic Energy Agency – and in return announces an expansion of uranium enrichment.

In the dispute over Iran’s nuclear program, the international supervisory authority IAEA has increased the pressure, drawing the ire of the leadership in Tehran. The Iranian Foreign Ministry condemned a critical resolution by the Atomic Energy Agency accusing Iran of a lack of cooperation – and in return announced the introduction of new centrifuges for faster uranium enrichment. Since highly enriched uranium is required to build nuclear warheads, there are fears that the Islamic Republic could, contrary to all assurances, seek nuclear weapons.

“This politically motivated and destructive resolution sabotages the beginning of Iran’s constructive cooperation with the IAEA,” the Tehran Foreign Ministry said in a joint press statement with the Iranian Atomic Energy Agency. The resolution is merely a pretext for the Western initiators to advance “their politically illegitimate goals” against Iran. As a first countermeasure, the Iranian Atomic Organization will introduce “a large collection” of new and modern centrifuges to accelerate the process of uranium enrichment.

In its resolution, the IAEA Board of Governors commissioned the head of the authority, Rafael Grossi, to deliver a report on unresolved questions about Iran’s nuclear program by spring. IAEA inspectors have for years demanded that Tehran provide conclusive explanations for traces that pointed to secret nuclear facilities and previous activities. If Tehran continues to fail to provide answers, Grossi’s report could serve as a basis for involving the UN Security Council, Western diplomats said.

While the Board of Governors cannot impose coercive measures, the Security Council would have the ability to impose new sanctions. However, the most powerful UN body has been politically blocked for some time, mainly because the veto states USA, Russia and China are preventing joint resolutions. Russia is receiving support in its war of aggression against Ukraine from China and Iran, which is supporting the Russian army with arms supplies.

The IAEA resolution was introduced by Germany, Great Britain, France and the United States. A total of 19 states voted in favor of the text in the Board of Governors, while 12 abstained. Russia, China and Burkina Faso rejected it.

Grossi said nuclear activity may have occurred in Iran in the past. However, there are doubts as to whether this was the case again recently. “We have no information that would confirm the presence of nuclear material,” he said.

According to its official doctrine, Iran does not seek nuclear weapons. Nevertheless, the country produces uranium that is almost weapons-grade – which is viewed with suspicion, especially in Israel, since both states are hostile to one another and are only about 1,000 kilometers apart. Last week, Grossi held talks with President Massoud Peseschkian and other top politicians in Tehran. According to Grossi, Iran agreed not to increase its stockpile of highly enriched uranium.

The Vienna nuclear agreement concluded in 2015 was intended to prevent Iran from building a nuclear bomb. After the USA withdrew from the hard-earned deal, Iran also gradually ignored all technical requirements in the agreement from May 2019. The country began enriching uranium more and producing uranium metal, started working with faster centrifuges and stored far more uranium than the nuclear deal allows.

After the Iranian missile attack on Israel on October 1st, the Israeli military responded with a counterstrike a few weeks later. On Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reported in parliament that a component of Iran’s nuclear program had been damaged. He didn’t give any details. According to the US news site Axios, a facility in Parchin was destroyed. The facility was part of Iran’s secret nuclear weapons program more than 20 years ago and was recently reactivated, the report said, citing Israeli and US officials.

Grossi called for compliance with international law. Nuclear facilities should not be targeted, he said on the sidelines of an IAEA meeting in Vienna. He hopes “that reason will prevail.” Grossi also announced talks with the Israeli government.