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Iran's nuclear chief denies reaching 84% uranium enrichment

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
1 Mar 2023 16:34
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The head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) assured that there are no deviations in Iran's nuclear program.

The Iranian flag waves in front of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) headquarters, in Vienna, Austria May 23, 2021. (Reuters)

Mohammad Eslami, the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) denied accusations that Iran is enriching uranium to 84% purity, ensuring that Tehran isn't deviating from its peaceful nuclear activities.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) issued a report saying that it had detected particles of uranium enriched to 83.7% during the Fordow nuclear facility inspection on January 22.

“Regarding the 84%-enriched particles, which was a sample from the side of a tap in the process, the particle cannot be even seen with a microscope. What is important is the amount of material that is stored after production,” he explained.

Eslami added that the IAEA inspectors observed the material produced from the process and found nothing with above 60% purity.

As such, the inspectors reported that their production line is enriched at 60% and that the IAEA and Iran are still conducting discussions to determine the origin of the particles. The discussions concluded that there was no specific deviation in Iran's nuclear program.

“Over the past two weeks, IAEA delegations traveled to Tehran, where they reviewed the cases regarding the non-compliance of the statement on centrifuges design and the declared particle. Expert discussions and visits … wrapped up and it was found that there is no specific deviation,” he said.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi's upcoming visit to Tehran could be aimed at reviving the US-abandoned nuclear deal of 2015.

Iran assured the peacefulness of its nuclear program by signing the JCPOA with six world states back in 2015. After Washington's unilateral withdrawal in May 2018, and following the sanctions it re-imposed against Tehran, the future of the deal is in limbo.

The discussions, however, have been at a standstill since August 2022 ever since Washington refused to remove sanctions imposed on Tehran and offered guarantees that it won't exit the deal again.