Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 8
By Umid Niayesh- Trend:
The process of dismantling centrifuges at Iranian nuclear sites has been halted, according to Alireza Zakani, head of the Iranian parliament's Special Commission for Reviewing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
Zakani noted that removing the centrifuges contradicts Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's directives on carrying out the nuclear agreement, as reported by Iran's Mehr news agency on Nov. 8.
"It was an incorrect step, and the officials stopped that after being warned on the issue," said Zakani.
Zakani did not reveal additional information about the government agency or individual who warned "officials" to stop removing centrifuges.
Early in November, 20 lawmakers urged President Hassan Rouhani to stop removing centrifuges from the Natanz and Fordow nuclear facilities in central Iran.
"Unfortunately, over the past two days several contractors have started removing centrifuges in Fordow, saying they will remain there for two weeks to complete the task," the lawmakers wrote, in a letter to President Rouhani Nov. 1.
According to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, clinched between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries made up of the UK, US, France, Germany, Russia, and China, Tehran is committed to reducing the number of centrifuges.
Zakani said that according to his information, dismantling the centrifuges has been halted at Fordow.
He underlined that the parliament's nuclear commission will investigate the removal of centrifuges during an upcoming session.
He further added that the parliament's commission for reviewing the JCPOA will continue its activities.
The removal of centrifuges was officially confirmed for the first time by Ali Akbar Salehi, the chief of the Iranian atomic energy organization (AEOI), during his visit to Tokyo.
However, Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi later contradicted that information.
Spokesman of the AEOI Behrouz Kamalvandi also said on Nov. 3 that Tehran had not removed any centrifuges from its nuclear sites, as the government is waiting for the IAEA report on the country's nuclear activities.
Tehran will decommission a number of centrifuges when the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) submits its report on the possible military dimensions (PMD) of Iran's nuclear program, Mansour Haqiqatpour, a member of Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, told Trend, in an exclusive interview on Nov. 4.
It is expected that the IAEA will announce the closure of its investigation into the possible military dimensions of Iran's nuclear development by mid-December, according to Abbas Araqchi.