Iran defends higher uranium enrichment, calls it “peaceful” despite western concerns

• Iran has resumed production of 60% enriched uranium.
• Iran claims the enrichment is for peaceful purposes.
• The move jeopardizes ongoing efforts to revive the 2015 nuclear deal.

Iran’s foreign ministry said on Friday that its increased uranium enrichment was a necessary component of its peaceful nuclear program, despite objections from the US, France, Germany, and Britain.

“Enrichment at 60 percent level in Iran’s enrichment centers has always been and will continue to be in accordance with the peaceful needs of the country and fully under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency,” foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani told state media.

Western nations denounced Iran on Thursday for increasing the production of highly enriched uranium, following months of decline, according to a watchdog.

In a joint statement, Britain, France, Germany, and the US said they “condemn this measure that further aggravates the continued escalation of the Iranian nuclear program,” adding that “Iran’s production of highly enriched uranium has no credible civilian justification.”

The statement came two days after the International Atomic Energy Agency released a report saying Iran “increased its production of highly enriched uranium, reversing a previous output reduction from mid-2023.”

Since the end of November, Iran has upped its production of 60 percent enriched uranium to about nine kilos (20 pounds) per month, according to the UN monitor.

That is a return to the nine kilograms per month it was generating during the first half of 2023, up from roughly three kilograms per month since June.

The Western countries warned of “significant proliferation risks” in their statement released on Thursday, stating that “these developments constitute a step in a bad direction on the part of Iran.”

The allies, however, stated they were “committed to a diplomatic solution” to the conflict over Tehran’s nuclear program and urged for the reversal of the output increase without mentioning any potential repercussions for Iran.

“The production of high-enriched `by Iran has no credible civilian justification,” the statement said. “These decisions… represent reckless behavior in a tense regional context.”

By the IAEA’s theoretical definition, Tehran already possesses enough uranium of 60% quality, if enriched to 90%, to construct three nuclear bombs.`

Iran has said it does not want nuclear weapons.

The 2015 agreement aimed at stopping Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons still includes participation from Britain, France, and Germany. In 2018, former US President Donald Trump broke the agreement, which led Iran to gradually loosen its restrictions.

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