IAEA: Iran violated nuclear deal

(Patria) - Iran has admitted to another violation of the 2015 nuclear deal, which occurred with the activation of advanced uranium enrichment centrifuges installed in the underground facility in Natanz.

This was revealed by UN nuclear inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and the findings were confirmed by the Iranian ambassador to the organization.

US President Donald Trump last week considered options for an air strike on Natanz, Iran's main uranium enrichment center located south of Tehran.

According to the 2015 nuclear deal, Iran is allowed to accumulate enriched uranium with the first generation of IR-1 machines, which are the only ones permitted in the underground facility. However, the IAEA report states that Tehran is using advanced IR-2m machines.

A previous IAEA report also stated that Iran had installed IR-2m machines, and in the latest report from Tuesday, the IAEA stated: 'On November 14, 2020, the Agency confirmed that Iran had begun feeding newly installed 174 IR-2m centrifuges with UF6 at the Fuel Enrichment Plant (FEP) in Natanz.'

Iran had previously informed the agency that it would transfer three cascades of uranium enrichment machines from the ground floor to the underground part of the Natanz facility. This was done after a centrifuge workshop located on the surface exploded as a result of alleged sabotage.

The British Guardian writes that Iran is currently using 174 of its IR-2m machines and has at least 1,000. According to the deal, Iran is allowed to use about 6,000 IR-1 machines.

IAEA representatives stated last week that Tehran's explanations regarding some parts of the nuclear program found by inspectors on-site where they were not supposed to be were unsatisfactory.

In a longer interview published on Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif clarified the approach Tehran will take towards the new US administration. He said: 'If the US fulfills its obligations under UN Security Council Resolution 2231, we will fulfill our obligations under the nuclear deal (JCPoA). This can be done automatically and does not require negotiations. But if the US wants to rejoin the nuclear deal, then we will be ready to negotiate how the US can re-enter the deal.'

Zarif is essentially suggesting that as soon as the US lifts sanctions against Iran, Tehran will continue to comply with the nuclear deal and stop violating uranium enrichment restrictions. However, Zarif refuses to allow the US to rejoin the nuclear deal until he is sure that, as a party to the JCPoA, the US will not use its unilateral right to hold Iran accountable for violating the deal, by requesting the UN to re-impose sanctions against Iran, writes the Guardian.