Reference News Network reported on December 4th that Iran approved the bill to activate the country’s nuclear activities. The Guardian Council of Iran (the body to review the constitutionality of the bill) has approved the resolution of the parliament and will be handed over to the government for implementation.
According to a report by the Russian satellite agency Tehran on December 3, the Iranian Fars News Agency previously approved the “Strategic Measures for the Resification of Sanctions” bill, requiring the national production and accumulation of 120 kilograms of enriched uranium enriched by 20% within one year to guarantee the country’s demand for enriched uranium enriched by more than 20%.
(Enriched uranium enriched by more than 20% is considered a weapon grade.) At present, Iran’s enrichment of uranium is more than 4%, which exceeds the level of 3.67% stipulated in the Iran nuclear agreement.
In addition, the bill also requires the monthly production of low-abundance enriched uranium to reach 500 kilograms. The bill also requires the activation of 1,000 IR-2M centrifuges in three months; 164 concentrated IR-6 centrifuges, and 1,000 in one year. The Iran nuclear agreement only allows Iran to use the first generation IR-1 centrifuges. The bill also calls for the upgrading of the Arak Heavy Water Reactor and the opening of the Isfahan nuclear plant.
According to Dubai on December 2, the bill approved by Iran requires the Iranian government to stop the United Nations’s verification of its nuclear facilities and increase the enrichment of uranium to break the restrictions stipulated in the Iran nuclear agreement signed by Tehran in 2015.
Tehran blames Israel for the killing of Iran’s top nuclear scientist last week. In retaliation, the Iranian Parliament, dominated by hardliners, passed the bill by an absolute majority on December 1 that would strengthen Iran’s nuclear position.
The position of Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei, who has the final decision on all national affairs, is unclear.
Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency reported: “Today the Speaker of the Speaker formally asked the President to implement the new bill in a letter.”
According to the report, the bill, driven by hardline lawmakers, will make it more difficult for U.S. President-elect Joe Biden to return to the agreement on January 20 next year. Biden has said he will return to the deal and lift sanctions against Iran if Tehran starts to “strictly abide by the nuclear deal” again.
