Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says Iran gives a response to the United States’ policy of pursuing “economic terrorism” and “blackmail” in a way quite opposite of what US President Donald Trump was led to believe.
Zarif made the remarks in a tweet on Tuesday after Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said the country will start injecting uranium gas into centrifuges at the Fordow enrichment facility on Wednesday, in the fourth step Tehran is taking away from the multinational nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), in response to the United States’ withdrawal.
In a speech broadcast live on TV, Rouhani said the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) will be ordered to begin the gas injection process at the Fordow nuclear facility — where 1,044 centrifuges are installed — under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
In his tweet, the top Iranian diplomat emphasized that the country’s latest decision to take the fourth step in scaling back its commitments under the agreement has been foreseen in the JCPOA.
“Our 4th step to suspend a #JCPOA provision is foreseen in Para 36 as remedy to US+E3 violations,” Zarif said.
He advised the European Union and the three European signatories to the nuclear deal — Britain, France and Germany — to abide by their obligations as an easy solution, saying Iran will “reverse course” in that case.
Iran will enrich uranium to 5% at Fordow: AEOI head
The AEOI head also said on Tuesday that Iran will start enriching uranium to 5% at the Fordow nuclear facility on Wednesday.
“We have previously enriched uranium to 5% and 20% at the Fordow site. Now we possess enough 20% enriched uranium, but we have the capability to produce it in accordance with the JCPOA if our reserves end,” the Iranian Students’ News Agency (ISNA) quoted Salehi as saying.
He added that Iran would start injecting gas into advanced IR-6 centrifuges at the Fordow site on Wednesday in the presence of inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
