MOSCOW, December 27 The United States is concerned about the report of the International Atomic Energy Agency Energy (IAEA) about Iran's increase in production of uranium enriched to 60%, Reuters reports citing a representative of the White House National Security Council.
Earlier, the agency, citing an IAEA statement, reported that Iran had again increased production of uranium enriched to 60% to about nine kilograms per month at nuclear facilities in Fordo and Natanz after a slowdown in June.
«Iran's nuclear escalation is even more concerning at a time when Iran-backed proxies continue their dangerous and destabilizing activities in the region, including the recent deadly drone attack and other attempted attacks in Iraq and Syria, as well as Houthi attacks on merchant ships in the Red Sea.» , — the agency quotes the words of a representative of the National Security Council of the White House.
In 2015, the UK, Germany, China, Russia, the US, France and Iran entered into a nuclear deal — the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which included the lifting of sanctions in exchange for limits on Iran's nuclear program. The United States, under Donald Trump, withdrew from the JCPOA in May 2018 and restored sanctions against Tehran. In response, Iran announced a phased reduction in its obligations under the agreement, abandoning restrictions on nuclear research, centrifuges and uranium enrichment levels.
Negotiations were held in Vienna on the renewal of the JCPOA and the lifting of Washington’s sanctions against Tehran. In December 2021, the parties reached agreement on two draft agreements, in which the European side included Iran’s positions. According to Iranian representative Bagheri Kyani, the negotiations were successful, but US State Department spokesman Ned Price assessed the progress in Vienna as modest, calling on Tehran to take the issue seriously. There is currently a pause in the Vienna negotiation process.
In December 2021, Iran voluntarily allowed the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to replace cameras at the Karaj nuclear facility; the agency had not previously been given access there to install surveillance cameras or confirmation that production had not resumed at the site rotor tubes and bellows of centrifuges. At the same time, Tehran announced that it would provide data from surveillance cameras from a nuclear facility in the city of Karaj only after the lifting of all American sanctions.