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Iran nuclear deal: Tehran to develop centrifuges for uranium enrichment Iran nuclear deal: Tehran to develop centrifuges for uranium enrichment
(about 5 hours later)
Iran is to lift all limits on nuclear research and development - the latest step in reducing its commitments to the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. Iran is to lift all limits on its development of centrifuges used to enrich uranium on Friday - the latest step in reducing its commitments under a 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.
President Hassan Rouhani said that from Friday the country would begin developing centrifuges to speed up the enrichment of uranium. President Hassan Rouhani said the country would do whatever was necessary to be able to accelerate enrichment.
Last year, the US withdrew from the 2015 deal and reimposed punishing sanctions against Iran. Enriched uranium can be used to make reactor fuel but also nuclear weapons.
Iran responded by abandoning two other key nuclear commitments in July. Iran stopped abiding by two commitments in July in response to sanctions the US reinstated when it abandoned the deal.
It breached the 300kg (660lb) limit on its stockpile of low-enriched uranium and exceeded the 3.67% cap on the purity of its uranium stocks. President Donald Trump wants to force Iran to negotiate a new agreement that would place indefinite curbs on its nuclear programme and also halt its development of ballistic missiles. But Iran has so far refused.
Under the 2015 deal, Iran was not going to operate more than 5,060 centrifuges - the piece of equipment used in making nuclear power and bombs. Other world powers who are parties to the deal - the UK, France, Germany, China and Russia - have tried to keep it alive. But the sanctions have caused Iran's oil exports to collapse, the value of its currency to plummet, and sent its inflation rate soaring.
Low-enriched uranium, which has a 3-5% concentration, can be used to produce fuel for nuclear power plants. Weapons-grade uranium is 90% enriched or more. Inspectors from the global nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), confirmed on 1 July that Iran had breached the 300kg (660lb) limit on the amount of enriched uranium it is allowed to stockpile.
Iran insists it has never sought to develop a nuclear weapon but instead wants to generate electricity. Six days later, Iran began enriching uranium to 4.5% concentration so it could make fuel for its Bushehr power plant - beyond the 3.67% cap enshrined in the nuclear deal. Weapons-grade uranium is 90% enriched or more.
President Rouhani has now said that Iran will begin developing more centrifuges which speed up the enrichment of uranium: On Wednesday night, President Rouhani announced that "all limitations" imposed on Iran's research and development of centrifuge technology would also be lifted.
"We will witness research and development on different kinds of centrifuges and new centrifuges and also whatever is needed for enriching uranium in an accelerated way," he said.
Mr Rouhani stressed the activities would be peaceful and supervised by the IAEA.
Under the accord, Iran is allowed to operate no more than 5,060 IR-1 centrifuges - the oldest and least efficient model - until 2026.
The country is also permitted to continue research and development in a manner that does not accumulate enriched uranium, and to test more advanced IR-6 and IR-8 centrifuges, which can more quickly enrich uranium. After 2024, it may commence the testing of up to 30 IR-6 centrifuges.
The installation of advanced centrifuges would shorten Iran's so-called "break-out time" - the time required for it to produce enough fissile material for a bomb.
Mr Rouhani also said on Wednesday that he would give European powers two months to fulfil their commitments to shield the Iranian economy from the US sanctions' effects.
Iranian officials have given a cautious welcome to a French proposal to offer Iran a $15bn (£12.5bn) line of credit, secured by oil, in return for its full compliance with the nuclear deal. That would allow Iran to obtain foreign currency.
A senior US official told Reuters news agency that the Trump administration was "pretty sceptical" of the French initiative but had not ruled out approving it.
"We have not yet seen anything, a concrete proposal that would be compliant with our sanctions and other actions so it's very difficult to judge," the official added.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was a staunch opponent of the nuclear deal, said Mr Rouhani's announcement showed the Iranians were "striving to attain nuclear weapons" and insisted there should be no negotiations with them.
"This is not the time to have talks with Iran. It is time to step up pressure on Iran," he said.
Mr Netanyahu was speaking to reporters before flying to London for talks with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and US Defence Secretary Mark Esper.