UK, France, Germany slam Iran for expanding nuclear program, ‘hollowing out’ deal
E3 states warn Iran’s new operation of advanced centrifuges, plan for thousands more, pose major proliferation risk; stress ‘especially concerning’ activity at underground facility
France, Germany and Britain on Saturday condemned Iran’s latest steps, as reported by the International Atomic Energy Agency, to further expand its nuclear program.
“Iran has taken further steps in hollowing out the JCPOA, by operating dozens of additional advanced centrifuges at the Natanz enrichment site as well as announcing it will install thousands more centrifuges at both its Fordow and Natanz sites,” the joint statement said, referring to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action signed with Iran in 2015.
“This decision is a further escalation of Iran’s nuclear program, which carries significant proliferation risks,” it added.
The joint statement stressed that “Iran’s decision to substantially increase its production capacity at the underground Fordow facility is especially concerning.”
“Iran is legally obliged under the Non-Proliferation Treaty to fully implement its safeguards agreement, which is separate to the JCPOA.”
The condemnation came a day after the International Atomic Energy Agency reported that Iran has started new cascades of advanced centrifuges and plans to install more in the coming weeks. Spinning up new centrifuges further advances Iran’s nuclear program, which already enriches uranium at near-weapons-grade levels and boasts a stockpile enough for several nuclear bombs if it chose to pursue them.
“Iran aims to continue expanding its nuclear program in ways that have no credible peaceful purpose,” US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement denouncing Tehran. “These planned actions further undermine Iran’s claims to the contrary. If Iran implements these plans, we will respond accordingly.”
Miller did not elaborate on what steps the US and its allies might take. However, Iran already faces grinding economic sanctions from Washington and others that have deeply cut into its economy and sent its rial currency tumbling over recent years.
Since the collapse of Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers following the US’s unilateral withdrawal from the accord in 2018, it has pursued nuclear enrichment just below weapons-grade levels. Western powers say there is no credible civilian reason for that. Iran says its aims are entirely peaceful but officials have recently said it could change its “nuclear doctrine” if it is attacked or its existence threatened by arch-foe Israel. That has prompted alarm at the IAEA and in Western capitals.
Iran, as a signatory to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, has pledged to allow the IAEA to visit its atomic sites to ensure its program is peaceful. Tehran also agreed to additional oversight from the IAEA as part of the 2015 nuclear deal. However, for years it has curtailed inspectors’ access to sites while also not fully answering questions about other sites where nuclear material has been found in the past.
The IAEA’s director-general, Rafael Mariano Grossi, visited Iran in May in an effort to boost inspections, but there hasn’t been any major public change in Iran’s stance.
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
