In a new expansion, Iran officially announced today, Monday, the start of an operation Uranium enrichment at the Porto site.
Government spokesman Ali Rabi confirmed to the semi-official Mehr news agency that Iran had resumed uranium enrichment at the underground nuclear plant at 20 percent. “A few minutes ago, 20 percent of the uranium enrichment was started at the Forto enrichment complex,” he said.
Today, the International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed that Iran has increased its uranium enrichment level to 20%, which was not achieved since the 2015 nuclear deal with the major powers.
“Iran has already enriched uranium-235 to 4.1 percent today, with six sets of centrifuges at the Forto uranium enrichment plant to increase the enrichment level to 20 percent,” he said in a statement to his member states.
Serious consequences
In response to this Iranian expansion, EU foreign policy chief spokesman Peter Stano told the Iran International Network in London on Monday that Europe views Iran as a “clear departure” from its obligations under the nuclear deal. He added: “We are aware of what Iran has announced. If what they say is implemented, it will be a major departure from the obligations of the nuclear deal, and it will have serious consequences for the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.”
Iranian nuclear reactor (Archives – France Press)
The images reveal a new secret website
Earlier, satellite images revealed images of a new site in Bajjadabad for uranium enrichment in Iran.
According to the Intel Lab website, the images show that the suspicious location, located near Qaswin in northwestern Tehran and coded 311, is ready for operation.
He noted that the access channel to one of the many tunnels was completed in 2020 and is now hidden by the tunnel and gate dug in 2010.
The International Atomic Energy Agency announced earlier this month that Iran had announced its intention to purify uranium by 20 percent, a level reached before signing a nuclear deal with key powers in 2015, at the Fordo site in the center of a mountain.
Iran is the latest step in a series of announcements to the IAEA, including steps taken in 2019 to respond to Washington’s withdrawal from the agreement and re – imposition of its sanctions.
This is one of several steps in a law passed by the Iranian parliament last month in response to the assassination of the country’s largest nuclear scientist.
It is noteworthy that such escalating Iranian measures would complicate efforts Joe Biden elected President of the United States Return to nuclear deal with conditions.