ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iran announced on Friday that it would begin operating new “advanced centrifuges” in response to a resolution against it at the global nuclear watchdog.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Thursday passed a resolution censuring Iran for its poor cooperation with the agency and calling on Tehran to explain the presence of uranium particles at two undeclared locations, AFP reported.
Britain, France, and Germany, in a joint statement on Thursday, said Iran has enough uranium enriched to 60 percent for four nuclear weapons and accused Tehran of obstructing IAEA monitors.
“Iran’s behaviour in the nuclear realm is a threat to international security and undermines the global non-proliferation system,” the statement said.
These three European nations, joined by the United States, brought the resolution against Iran and the vote split IAEA’s 35-nation governing board. The motion passed with 19 votes in favour, according to AFP.
Iran condemned the vote as “politicized” and accused the US and its European allies of using “the nuclear issue as a pretext to advance illegitimate objectives.”
In reaction to the IAEA resolution, the “president of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran has issued directives to initiate the operation of a substantial number of advanced centrifuges of various models,” read a joint statement from Iran’s foreign ministry and national nuclear agency.
“Undertaken to safeguard Iran’s national interests, these measures aim to further develop the country’s peaceful nuclear program to address its growing national needs, all within the framework of Iran’s rights and obligations under the Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement,” the statement added.
Iran has repeatedly asserted that its nuclear programme is peaceful and denies it is attempting to develop a nuclear weapon.
IAEA head Rafael Grossi visited Iran last week when Tehran agreed to cap its stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
