BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 10. Under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), there are no restrictions on uranium enrichment, said Esmail Baghaei, spokesman for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Trend reports.
Speaking today at a press conference in Tehran, Baghaei made it clear that the treaty is as straightforward as pie, calling for countries to toe the line and meet their obligations.
He noted that as enrichment levels increase, so should the corresponding monitoring measures. Iran is meeting these obligations, as recognized by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Baghaei explained that uranium enrichment can vary based on the needs of a country's nuclear industry and its intended use. For example, Iran has utilized enriched uranium at levels of 20 percent, 60 percent, and higher for specific purposes, such as for the Tehran Research Reactor.
"Therefore, drawing conclusions about the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program based on an uncertain report does not rely on technical data and is contrary to international realities. The accusations against Iran have been repeated for 30 years without any documents or facts," Baghai remarked.
The spokesperson further stated that concerns about Iran’s uranium enrichment level are unfounded, pointing out that some of the accusations only serve to escalate tensions without any technical basis. These allegations also fly in the face of the IAEA’s technical stance on the matter.
To note, on March 3, Rafael Grossi, the Director General of the IAEA, reported at a meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors that Iran had increased its stockpile of uranium enriched to 60 percent by 93 kilograms, raising it from 182 kilograms to 275 kilograms compared to the previous quarter. Iran remains the only non-nuclear weapons state to enrich uranium to this level, which has raised significant international concern.
On January 16, 2016, the JCPOA came into force between Iran and the P5+1 group (US, Russia, China, the UK, France, and Germany) regarding Iran’s nuclear program. However, on May 8, 2018, the US withdrew 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 on Iran starting from November 2018.
By the end of 2020, the Iranian parliament decided to pursue a strategic plan in the nuclear sector to counter the sanctions, leading to a suspension of additional steps and the Additional Protocol as per the nuclear agreement.
Consequently, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) faced a reduction in monitoring capabilities by 20–30 percent.
------------
Follow the author on X: @BaghishovElnur