Iran to consider enriching Uranium up to 90% if sanctions unlifted: US

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
8 Mar 2023 21:06

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence claims that since November 2020, Iran has accelerated the expansion of its nuclear program.

A gas flare on an oil production platform seen alongside an Iranian flag, July 25, 2005 (Reuters)

The United States assesses that Iran’s officials will likely consider enriching uranium up to 90% if there is no sanctions relief for the country, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence claimed in its latest report on Wednesday.

The report, dubbed "Annual Threat Assessment of the US Intelligence Community", indicated that "since the assassination in November 2020 of nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, Iran has accelerated the expansion of its nuclear program" and "stated that it is no longer constrained by any JCPOA limits."

It insisted that Iran has "undertaken research and development activities that would bring it closer to producing the fissile material for completing a nuclear device following a decision to do so."

The US report claimed that "if Tehran does not receive sanctions relief, Iranian officials probably will consider further enriching uranium up to 90 percent."

The report comes just a couple of days after the Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, visited Tehran and met with Iranian officials.

On Monday, Al Mayadeen correspondent to Vienna reported that Grossi presented his report on his visit to Iran before the IAEA Board of Governors.

In his report, Grossi said Iran has agreed, after discussions, "to allow the agency to proceed with further monitoring and verification measures indispensable to the Agency fulfilling its mission."

He described Iran's decision to allow the IAEA to proceed with inspections as "very important", as "it would allow the agency to begin to establish a new baseline necessary in the event of a resumption of Iran’s implementation of its nuclear-related commitments under the JCPOA."

Grossi said the implementation of the understanding between Iran and the IAEA may lead to the resumption of nuclear talks.

It is noteworthy that the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), Mohammad Eslami, reiterated on Saturday that Iran has not had any enrichment above 60%.

Speaking during a joint press conference in Tehran with the IAEA chief, Eslami clarified that Grossi’s report is about tracing 84% purity particles, not 84% enrichment, adding that there was no enrichment beyond 60% in the reservoirs where the production is kept.

Last month, AEOI spokesperson Behrouz Kamalvandi, pointed out that the presence of uranium particles with purity levels exceeding 60% does not mean that uranium is being enriched at levels above 60%.