BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 17. The mere possession of enriched uranium does not constitute a comprehensive prerequisite for the intricate process of nuclear armament development, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said in a statement, Trend reports.
Speaking to local media, Gharibabadi underscored that certain entities persist in asserting that Iran has sufficient resources, including enriched uranium, to construct a nuclear weapon.
However, he clarified that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is the only body authorized to make such determinations, and no reports from the agency have ever indicated that Iran has been attempting to develop nuclear weapons.
The Iranian official further stated that some parties are deliberately creating a crisis over Iran’s nuclear program, despite the ongoing IAEA oversight. He asserted that these claims are entirely unjustified as long as the agency continues its monitoring.
“Iran has never exceeded its commitments in the enrichment of uranium, and no violations have been recorded. Furthermore, neither the IAEA's statute nor the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) prohibits the enrichment of uranium or any specific enrichment level. The only restriction is that nuclear activities must not be directed toward military purposes,” Gharibabadi added.
He also reiterated that Iran’s strategy is to avoid obtaining nuclear weapons and that the country does not support the production of weapons of mass destruction.
On April 12, indirect talks between Iran and the US on Iran’s nuclear program were held in Muscat, Oman. The discussions, led by Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi and the US Special Representative for Middle East Affairs, Steve Winkoff, were described as constructive and based on mutual respect. The next round of talks is scheduled for April 19.
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.
Iran has officially affirmed that its strategy is not to pursue the development of an atomic bomb and that it does not support the production of weapons of mass destruction.
On March 3, Rafael Grossi, Director-General of the IAEA, mentioned during the IAEA Board of Governors' meeting that Iran has increased its stockpile of uranium enriched to 60 percent purity by 93 kilograms, from 182 kilograms to 275 kilograms, compared to the previous quarter. Iran remains the only non-nuclear weapon state to enrich uranium to this level, raising significant concerns.
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