E3 nations urge Iran to halt nuclear escalation amid rising uranium enrichment

The governments of Germany, Britain and France have condemned Iran for increasing the production of uranium enriched to 60 per cent.

“We, the governments of France, Germany and the United Kingdom, condemn Iran’s latest steps, as reported by the IAEA, to expand its nuclear programme to significantly increase the rate of production of uranium enriched up to 60% at the underground Fordow facility,” Caliber.Az reports, citing a joint statement by these three countries published on the UK government website.

According to the statement, the three Western countries are also extremely concerned to learn that Iran has increased the number of centrifuges in use and started preparations to install additional enrichment infrastructure, further increasing Iran’s enrichment capacity.

“Last week the E3 [Germany, Britain and France] met with Iran to discuss Iran’s nuclear programme and sanctions and reiterated their commitment to dialogue and constructive behaviour. Iran’s actions have further hollowed out the JCPoA, will increase Iran’s high enriched uranium stockpile which already has no credible civilian justification, and have taken place before the IAEA has been able to implement necessary additional safeguards measures,” the joint statement reads.

Moreover, Germany, Britain and France strongly urged Iran to reverse these steps and to halt its nuclear escalation immediately.

To recall, on December 6, U.N. nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi told Reuters that Iran is "dramatically" accelerating its enrichment of uranium to up to 60% purity, close to the roughly 90% level that is weapons grade.

The International Atomic Energy Agency later confirmed in a confidential report to member states that Iran was speeding up uranium enrichment, a process that refines the raw material so that it can be used as fuel in civil nuclear power generation or, potentially, nuclear weapons.

The IAEA findings will deepen alarm in Western countries that say there is no justification for enriching uranium to such a high level under any civilian programme and that no other country has done so without producing nuclear bombs.

Iran denies pursuing nuclear weapons.

By Khagan Isayev