Discussions on solving the problem related to Iran’s nuclear program and demonstrating intensity about it are at the center of attention in recent days, Trend reports.
The current US administration intends to reach an interim agreement with Iran in the most pessimistic case regarding Iran’s nuclear program because the continuation of Iran’s activities related to the nuclear program worries the US and Western countries.
Last week, the International Atomic Energy Agency’s latest quarterly report on Iran’s nuclear program further complicated the issue. Nevertheless, the IAEA always focuses on mutual cooperation in Iran’s nuclear program and hopes that Iran will create the possibility of monitoring all nuclear facilities.
According to the information obtained by the International Atomic Energy Agency, Iran has increased the amount of highly enriched uranium by 27 percent in the last three months, and currently, the country’s enriched uranium reserves are 4,745 kilograms. This is 15 times more than the amount of uranium allowed for Iran in the JCPOA.
Recently, there have been reports about Iran building an underground nuclear facility at the foot of the Zagros Mountains. It is true that the Iranian side denied this. However, when the information is reconciled, Iran’s storage of highly enriched uranium in the country, even hiding it in unknown bunkers, is a major point of concern for the parties of the JCPOA and the world in general.
Recently, there have been reports about Iran building an underground nuclear facility at the foot of the Zagros Mountains. It is true that the Iranian side denied this. However, when the information is reconciled, Iran’s storage of highly enriched uranium in the country, even hiding it in unknown bunkers, is a major point of concern for the parties of the Comprehensive Joint Action Plan and the world in general.
Iranian officials, even the Supreme Leader of the country, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, have repeatedly emphasized the absence of nuclear weapons in Iran’s defense doctrine. Iran’s opponents always raise the threat of nuclear weapons. Time will tell if all this is true or not. Because Iran can suddenly surprise the whole world.
It seems that Iran and the relevant parties are facing a difficult period in connection with Iran’s nuclear program. It will be necessary to seriously compromise here. Either Iran will once again open the doors of all its nuclear facilities to the inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency and demonstrate that there is no deviation in its nuclear program, or it will participate as a ‘trump card’ in any discussions that are likely to begin.
In January 2016, JCPOA was launched between Iran and the P5+1 group (US, Russia, China, UK, France, and Germany) in connection with Iran’s nuclear program. In May 2018, the US announced its withdrawal from the deal and imposed sanctions on Iran in November of the same year. To preserve the agreements reached as part of the JCPOA, the European signatories of the deal started in January 2019 that a financial mechanism for maintaining trade with Iran called INSTEX was formed.
On May 8, 2019, Iran announced that it had ceased fulfilling its commitments regarding the sale of over 300 kilograms of uranium, as stated in the deal, basing its decision on the other signatories that have not fulfilled their obligations. On July 7, Iran announced that it will not be fulfilling its commitments regarding the enrichment of uranium at 3.67 percent and the reconstruction of the Arak Heavy Water Reactor Facility as stated in the deal.
Iran announced that it will enrich uranium using next-generation centrifuges and will not mix it with the enriched uranium residues as part of the third step of reducing commitments in JCPOA on Sept.5. On Nov. 5, 2019, Iran announced that it took the fourth step in connection with reducing its commitments to the nuclear agreement. So, uranium gas is being pumped to the centrifuges at the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant.
On Jan.2020, Iran took the last fifth step in reducing the number of its commitments within JCPOA.
On May 8, 2018, the US announced its withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) between Iran and the 5+1 group (Russia, China, the UK, France, the US, and Germany), and imposed new sanctions against Iran as of November 2018.
Over the past period, the sanctions affected Iranian oil exports, more than 700 banks, companies, and individuals. The sanctions have resulted in the freezing of Iranian assets abroad.
Source: TREND News Agency