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Iran Announces Resumption of Uranium Enrichment at Fordow

VOA News

   Iran's nuclear agency Thursday announced resumption of uranium
   enrichment at the country's underground Fordow nuclear facility, a site
   where, under the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, it had agreed not
   to carry out any enrichment or enrichment-related research.

   The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran said in a statement the
   enrichment began overnight and was witnessed by an official from the
   U.N.'s nuclear watchdog agency.

   Iran said it plans to enrich up to the level of 4.5% at the site. That
   is slightly above the level allowed under the Joint Comprehensive Plan
   of Action, but breaking that barrier was part of Iran's earlier steps
   away from the agreement as it calls for the other signatories to help
   it navigate around U.S. sanctions on its important oil exports.

   Iran nuclear deal

   The JCPOA was meant to address Western accusations that Iran was
   working to develop nuclear weapons, which Iran denied, saying its
   nuclear program was for peaceful purposes such as power generation and
   medicine. Enriching to 4.5% is far below the level needed to make a
   nuclear weapon.

   In addition to carrying out enrichment at Fordow and enriching at
   higher levels, Iran has also exceeded limits on the amount of enriched
   material it is allowed to stockpile and it announced the development of
   more advanced centrifuges that are used in the enrichment process.

   Iran's actions drew sharp criticism from U.S. Secretary of State Mike
   Pompeo, who, in a statement released early Thursday, called on world
   leaders to help prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.

   "Iran's expansion of proliferation-sensitive activities raises some
   concerns that Iran is positioning itself to have the option of a rapid
   nuclear breakout," Pompeo said. "It is now time for all nations to
   reject this regime's nuclear extortion and take serious steps to
   increase pressure. Iran's continued and nuclear provocations demand
   such action."

   The International Atomic Energy Agency's board of governors is meeting
   Thursday in Vienna to discuss Iran's nuclear work. The agency's
   inspectors are tasked with monitoring Iran's compliance with the JCPOA.

   Iran abiding by the deal

   Before U.S. President Donald Trump announced his decision to withdraw
   from the deal last year, the IAEA said Iran was living up to its part
   of the agreement. Trump said the deal did not do enough to prevent Iran
   from developing nuclear weapons and gave the country too much in the
   way of sanctions relief. The United States has imposed several rounds
   of new sanctions against Iran.

   Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif this week called the
   Trump administration's actions "economic terrorism and blackmail."

   The other signatories, Britain, China, France, Russia and Germany, have
   worked to keep the deal alive.

   French President Emmanuel Macron said during a trip to China this week
   that Iran's moves are "grave," and that he would be discussing the
   situation with both Iranian officials and Trump.