LOC01:52
22:52 GMT
WASHINGTON, Dec 28 (KUNA) -- The United States, the United Kingdom, France and Germany responded angrily to a report by the International Atomic Energy Agency that Iran stepped up uranium enrichment to a 60-percent purity grade.
The December 26, 2023, -- highlights that Iran has increased its rate of production of uranium enriched up to 60 percent at Natanz and Fordow to levels observed between January and June 2023, the four allies said in a joint statement on Thursday.
"These findings represent a backwards step by Iran and will result in Iran tripling its monthly production rate of uranium enriched up to 60 percent.
"We condemn this action, which adds to the unabated escalation of Iran's nuclear program," according to the statement," reads the statement released by the US State Dept.
"The production of high-enriched uranium by Iran has no credible civilian justification and the reported production at the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant and the Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant further carries significant proliferation-related risks.
"We also take note of Iran's decision to revert to the same cascade configuration as the one discovered by the IAEA in Fordow earlier this year.
"Iran's delay in declaring this change in January 2023 cast serious doubts on Iran's willingness to cooperate with the IAEA in full transparency.
"These decisions demonstrate Iran's lack of good will towards de-escalation and represent reckless behavior in a tense regional context," the statement pointed out.
"We urge Iran to immediately reverse these steps and de-escalate its nuclear program.
"Iran must fully cooperate with the IAEA to enable it to provide assurances that its nuclear program is exclusively peaceful, and to re-designate the inspectors suspended in September 2023.
"We remain committed to a diplomatic solution and reaffirm our determination that Iran must never develop a nuclear weapon," it concluded.
Yesterday, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Mohammad Eslami denied the IAEA report, saying that Tehran continued its usual activities in line with the existing criteria and frameworks. (end)
amm.gb