Hey there, news enthusiasts! 📢 Guess what? Iran has just confirmed that it's allowing the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to ramp up the number of inspections of its nuclear program. 🧐
Mohammad Eslami, Iran's nuclear chief, told the state media that with the increase in their nuclear activities, it's only natural for the number of inspections to go up. \"When we carry out nuclear activities, and where we deal with nuclear materials, changing the scale will naturally change the monitoring level,\" he said.
This comes after an IAEA report mentioned that Tehran agreed to up the frequency and intensity of safeguards at the Fordo enrichment plant, which is south of Tehran. The plant is now able to significantly boost the production of uranium enriched up to 60%—that's pretty close to the 90% needed for a nuclear weapon! 😯
But hold up! Iran insists that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only and that it's not aiming to develop atomic weapons. Eslami emphasized that the IAEA has always had access to monitor their activities and that Iran hasn't created any obstacles. \"We have not created any obstacles for it and we will not do so,\" he stated.
Last month, Iran announced it would launch new and advanced centrifuges in response to a resolution by the IAEA board that censured Tehran for what it called a lack of cooperation. This move didn't sit well with Britain, France, and Germany, who \"condemned\" Iran's steps to expand its nuclear program and strongly urged it to reverse them.
The trio even sent a letter to the UN Security Council, hinting at the possibility of restoring all UN sanctions against Iran to prevent the further development of its nuclear activities.
Nuclear tensions have been heating up ever since former U.S. President Donald Trump pulled out of the landmark 2015 nuclear deal, which had provided sanctions relief in exchange for limits on Iran's nuclear program.
So, what's next? Only time will tell how this nuclear storyline unfolds. Stay tuned for more updates! 🔮
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
