Iran to begin enriching uranium with thousands of advanced centrifuges UN watchdog says

Iran has announced plans to begin enriching uranium using thousands of advanced centrifuges at its nuclear facilities in Fordo and Natanz, the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said.

This development raises concerns as Iran continues to enrich uranium close to weapons-grade levels, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

The IAEA report indicated that Iran intends to enrich uranium to 5 per cent purity, significantly lower than the 60 per cent it is currently producing. This lower level may signal Iran’s interest in keeping negotiations open with the West, especially with President-elect Donald Trump preparing to take office.

Despite this, uncertainty surrounds how the new US administration will engage with Iran, particularly as Tehran continues its rhetoric regarding potential military action against Israel amid the ongoing war with Hamas. The US had withdrawn from the nuclear deal in 2018, a move that led to heightened tensions in the Middle East.

The IAEA’s report revealed that Iran plans to use 45 cascades of its advanced IR-2M, IR-4, and IR-6 centrifuges for uranium enrichment. These machines can enrich uranium faster than the older IR-1 centrifuges. While the exact number of centrifuges in each cascade has not been specified, Iran has previously placed around 160 centrifuges in a single cascade.

Iran’s nuclear activities remain a source of global concern. Although Tehran has pledged to allow inspections under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, it has limited access to inspectors and failed to fully answer questions about certain nuclear sites. The US State Department condemned Iran’s decision to escalate its nuclear program, calling its continued uranium enrichment unjustifiable for civilian purposes.

Despite these tensions, Iranian officials, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, have expressed a willingness to negotiate with the West. In a related matter, Iranian diplomat Kazem Gharibabadi criticized Europe’s handling of the nuclear issue, while EU diplomat Enrique Mora called for a diplomatic resolution and de-escalation of regional tensions.

By Vafa Guliyeva