US Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines announced, on Wednesday, that Iran has increased the pace of its nuclear program, and has conducted research and development activities that will bring it closer to producing the materials needed to build a nuclear weapon.
Haines said - in a hearing before the US Senate Intelligence Committee - that Tehran continues to increase the volume and level of enrichment of its uranium stockpile beyond the nuclear agreement, warning that it "came dangerously close to making a nuclear bomb," according to a US intelligence report.
The Director of Intelligence also indicated that Iran "continues to represent a threat to Israel," whether directly or indirectly through "Lebanese Hezbollah and other proxies," as she put it.
The US intelligence report revealed that Iran "continues to bypass the restrictions" imposed by the nuclear agreement on research and development in advanced centrifuges.
In addition to the continuation of uranium enrichment at the Fordow facility, which was banned under the nuclear agreement.
According to the US report, Iranian officials are likely to consider enriching uranium to 90% if sanctions are not eased.
It is noteworthy that the 2015 agreement between Tehran and Washington, Paris, London, Berlin, Moscow and Beijing allowed the lifting of sanctions on Iran in return for reducing its nuclear activities and ensuring the peacefulness of its program.
Washington withdrew from the agreement unilaterally in 2018 during the era of former President Donald Trump, re-imposing economic sanctions on Iran, which responded by gradually retreating from most of its obligations under it.
New penalties
On the other hand, Washington imposed sanctions on Iranian officials and companies on Wednesday, in light of accusations of committing "gross violations of human rights."
The US Treasury said - in a statement - that it had also imposed sanctions on two senior officials in the Iranian prison sector, accusing them of being responsible for human rights violations against women.
Sanctions were also imposed on an Iranian military commander, a senior official in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, and an official linked to the Iranian government's efforts to block internet services.
The statement indicated that among those subject to sanctions are 3 Iranian companies and their leaders because of their contributions to suppressing protests in cooperation with law enforcement agencies.
The US Treasury said it had taken the measures in coordination with the European Union, Britain and Australia as part of the celebration of International Women's Day.