Iran plans to expand its uranium-enriching centrifuges at its enrichment plants, according to the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Reuters reported that Iran informed the IAEA it intends to install more than 6,000 additional uranium-enriching centrifuges, as outlined in a new confidential report.
The move comes in response to a resolution passed last week by the IAEA’s 35-nation Board of Governors, which condemned Tehran for failing to cooperate with the agency earlier this month.
The IAEA said that the increased enrichment capacity would allow Iran to enrich uranium more quickly, raising concerns that Tehran could be pursuing the development of a nuclear bomb.
Western powers on the board have expressed concerns, arguing that there is no reason for Iran to enrich uranium to 60% purity, close to the 90% threshold required to produce weapons-grade material.
In a statement to the Associated Press, the U.S. State Department expressed its “deep concern” over Iran’s decision.
“Iran’s continued production and accumulation of uranium enriched up to 60% has no credible civilian justification,” the statement said.
The department went on to accuse the country of “choosing the path of continued escalation as opposed to cooperation with the IAEA.”
In recent months, Iran’s leadership signaled a readiness to negotiate with the West. Earlier this week, President Joe Biden helped broker a ceasefire deal between Israel and Iranian-backed Hezbollah in the ongoing conflict.
However, it remains unclear how President-elect Donald Trump will approach diplomatic relations with Iran once he returns to the White House.
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