Iran is enriching uranium to 60 percent to increase its nuclear capability. The country’s top nuclear negotiator and deputy foreign minister, Saeed Abbas Arakchi, has announced uranium enrichment at this level since Wednesday (April 14th).
He told Iran’s Press TV on Tuesday (April 13th) that his country had informed the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of plans to enrich uranium to 60 levels.
Abbas Araqchi said Iran would replace the centrifuges damaged by subversive activities at the Natanz nuclear facility and install an additional 1,000 centrifuges. They are capable of enriching uranium to more than 50 percent.
Abbas Arakchi is currently based in Vienna, the capital of Austria. There is another round of talks to bring the United States back to the nuclear deal signed in 2015. Iran believes that the United States can only return to the nuclear deal if it lifts all sanctions on Tehran.
Earlier, in the last week of February, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Husseini Khamenei said, “We are committed to achieving the country’s nuclear capabilities.” For this reason, our uranium enrichment rate will not be limited to 20 percent but will be enriched as much as needed. For example, in uranium technology or any other field, our uranium enrichment rate can be increased up to 70 percent.
Khamenei claimed at the time that this did not mean that Iran wanted to build a nuclear weapon. Israel and the West know it too. But they want to use it as an excuse to use force against Iran.
Incidentally, uranium has to be enriched to 90 percent to make nuclear weapons. If the UN can enrich at 70 percent, Iran will undoubtedly go one step further towards acquiring this weapon of mass destruction.
But Tehran has always said its nuclear program is peaceful.
