China News Service, February 23. According to Agence France-Presse, before the interim technical agreement reached between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency took effect, on the 22nd local time, Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei stated that if necessary, Iran can enrich uranium. The degree is increased to 60%.
Data map: Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei.
According to previous media reports, Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency reached a provisional technical agreement with a maximum period of three months on the 21st, allowing the latter to continue to carry out limited inspection activities in Iran.
Grossi confirmed that the verification activities of the International Atomic Energy Agency will be limited, but the necessary level of verification and supervision can still be maintained.
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister said on the 20th that after the implementation of the relevant bill in the Iranian parliament, the IAEA’s verification capabilities will be reduced by 20 to 30%.
Grossi declined to comment.
According to reports, Khamenei made the remarks before the Iranian parliament set a time limit to restrict certain inspection activities by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
He reiterated on the 22nd that Iran denies seeking to manufacture nuclear weapons and "we will take necessary and nationally required actions."
Khamenei added: "We can increase the abundance of enriched uranium to 60%."
He emphasized that the United States is a party to withdraw from the Iran nuclear agreement. If Washington resumes its commitments, Iran’s suspension of relevant commitments is "still reversible."
In July 2015, Iran reached a comprehensive agreement on the Iranian nuclear issue with the United States, Britain, France, Russia, China, and Germany.
According to the agreement, Iran promised to limit its nuclear program and the international community lifted sanctions against Iran.
The US government unilaterally withdrew from the Iran nuclear agreement in May 2018, and then restarted and added a series of sanctions against Iran.
Since May 2019, Iran has gradually suspended the implementation of some of the terms of the agreement, including increasing the abundance of enriched uranium to 4.5%, which is higher than the 3.67% stipulated in the Iran nuclear agreement, but it has promised that the measures taken are "reversible."
According to IAEA regulations, the abundance of civil-grade enriched uranium is up to 20%.
Earlier on January 7, 2021, Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization spokesperson Behruz Kamalwandi said that Iran can increase the abundance of enriched uranium to 90%.