TEHRAN, April 16 Iranian Speaker Ghalibaf announced on social media on the 16th that Iran produced 60% enriched uranium earlier in the day.
Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization Chairman Ali Abdullah Salehi confirmed the news the same day, saying that the Natanz nuclear facility in central Iran is currently enriching 60 percent of uranium enrichment activities, Iranian news television reported.
The power system of the Natanz nuclear facility failed on the 11th, and the Iranian government later accused Israel of launching the “sabotage activities”. In response, Iran announced it would increase its enriched uranium to 60 percent.
Salehi said that despite the damage, uranium enrichment at the Natanz nuclear facility has not been interrupted. Currently, the enriched uranium capacity of 60% is 9 grams per hour.
Iranian President Rouhani said on the 15th that Iran will enrich uranium to 60%, not seeking to develop nuclear weapons. Kamal Vandi, a spokesman for Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, said earlier that Iran produces 60 percent enriched uranium mainly for the manufacture of various radioactive drugs.
In July 2015, Iran reached a comprehensive agreement on Iran’s nuclear program with the United States, Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany. Under the deal, Iran has pledged to limit its nuclear program to no more than 3.67 percent enriched uranium in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions.
In May 2018, the U.S. government unilaterally withdrew from the Iran nuclear agreement, which was followed by the resumption and addition of a series of additional sanctions against Iran. Since May 2019, Iran has phased out some of the terms of the Iran nuclear deal, but has promised to take “reversible” measures.
