Lebanese Ministry of Information
‘Our stockpile is quickly increasing,’ head of country’s atomic agency warns. ‘We hope they will come to their senses’
Iran has begun injecting uranium gas into advanced centrifuges in violation of its nuclear deal with world powers, a spokesman has announced.
Behrouz Kamalvandi of the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran warned Europe had little time left to save the 2015 deal.
“Our stockpile is quickly increasing,” Mr Kamalvandi warned in a news conference. “We hope they will come to their senses.”
Analysts have warned 20 per cent is a short technical step away from 90 per cent enrichment, which is weapons-grade level.
While Mr Kamalvandi stressed “the Islamic Republic is not after the bomb,” he warned Iran was running out of ways to stay in the accord.
“If Europeans want to make any decision, they should do it soon,” he said.
Mr Kamalvandi warned several times in his comments that Iran was rapidly approaching a point that would mean a full withdrawal from the deal.
“Our stockpile is quickly increasing, we hope they will come to their senses,” he said.
However, he stressed that Iran would allow UN inspectors to continue to monitor sites in the country. He made the announcement, broadcast on live TV, from a podium with advanced centrifuges standing in the foreground.
A top official from the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency was expected to meet with Iranian officials in Tehran on Sunday.
The Independent
