Iran Says it will Break Uranium Stockpile Limit Set by Nuclear Deal in 10 Days
IsraelDefense
| 17/06/2019
The Arak heavy water production facility, Iran (Photo: AP)
Iran is set to break its uranium stockpile limit set by the nuclear deal within 10 days, according to a spokesman for the country’s atomic agency.
During a news conference at the Arak heavy water reactor facility, the spokesman for Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization (AEOI) Behrouz Kamalvandi said that Iran had increased low-enriched uranium production fourfold and would exceed the limit of 300 kilograms by June 27.
“If Iran feels that the sanctions have been reinstated or not lifted, Iran has the right to partly or on the whole suspend its commitments,” Kamalvandi said, referring to sanctions that were lifted as part of the nuclear deal but have since been reinstated by the US. The Trump administration withdrew from the pact in May 2018.
However, he said there was still time for European countries to save the nuclear deal if they “abide by their commitments.”
After exceeding the limit, Iran will accelerate uranium enrichment to 3.7%, Kamalvandi said – above the 3.67% mandated by the nuclear deal.
Under the nuclear deal, Iran was permitted to stockpile limited amounts of enriched uranium and heavy water produced in that process, exporting any excess. Doing so has become difficult after the US revoked waivers that allowed Iran to export those excess stockpiles, effectively forcing Iran to halt enrichment or ignore the limits, which it is now doing.
The development comes in the wake of suspected attacks on oil tankers last week in the Gulf of Oman, attacks that Washington has blamed on Iran.
[Sources: CNBC, CNN, Fox News]
The Arak heavy water production facility, Iran (Photo: AP)
Iran is set to break its uranium stockpile limit set by the nuclear deal within 10 days, according to a spokesman for the country’s atomic agency.
During a news conference at the Arak heavy water reactor facility, the spokesman for Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization (AEOI) Behrouz Kamalvandi said that Iran had increased low-enriched uranium production fourfold and would exceed the limit of 300 kilograms by June 27.
“If Iran feels that the sanctions have been reinstated or not lifted, Iran has the right to partly or on the whole suspend its commitments,” Kamalvandi said, referring to sanctions that were lifted as part of the nuclear deal but have since been reinstated by the US. The Trump administration withdrew from the pact in May 2018.
However, he said there was still time for European countries to save the nuclear deal if they “abide by their commitments.”
After exceeding the limit, Iran will accelerate uranium enrichment to 3.7%, Kamalvandi said – above the 3.67% mandated by the nuclear deal.
Under the nuclear deal, Iran was permitted to stockpile limited amounts of enriched uranium and heavy water produced in that process, exporting any excess. Doing so has become difficult after the US revoked waivers that allowed Iran to export those excess stockpiles, effectively forcing Iran to halt enrichment or ignore the limits, which it is now doing.
The development comes in the wake of suspected attacks on oil tankers last week in the Gulf of Oman, attacks that Washington has blamed on Iran.
[Sources: CNBC, CNN, Fox News]
