Iran preparing uranium enrichment of 20% purity

Tehran, Dec 31 (IANS) The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) is making preparations for 20 per cent uranium enrichment, a top official said here.In a statement on Wednesday, Chief of the Presidential Staff of Iran, Mahmoud Vaezi, said added that the AEOI would produce 120 kg of enriched uranium at the purity of 20 per cent in a year, reports Xinhua news agency.On December 1, the Iranian parliament passed a bill urging the government to implement a number of steps, including a boost in the country's uranium enrichment, in case the European signatories to the 2015 nuclear agreement, namely the UK, France and Germany, fail to protect Tehran's interests amid US energy and banking sanctions. Iran has reduced its commitments under the agreement called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in response to the US' withdrawal from the deal in 2018.In reaction to the US' withdrawal and in response to Europe's sluggishness in facilitating Iran's banking transactions and oil exports, Tehran has been gradually moving away from its nuclear commitments since May 2019.
--IANS ksk/