Iran has started producing uranium enriched to 60% at the Fordow complex, much higher than the 3.67% threshold set in the agreement over Tehran's nuclear programme, local media reported Tuesday.

And the Iranian Student News Agency (ISNA) reported that "Iran has started, for the first time, producing 60% enriched uranium at the Fordow nuclear complex."

This underground complex, located 180 km south of Tehran, was put back into operation in 2019 and was recently modified to increase its efficiency.

In April 2021, Iran announced the start of uranium enrichment at a rate of 60% in the Natanz complex (center), close to the 90% level that authorizes its military use.

In 2015, Iran concluded an agreement on its nuclear program with six major powers (the United States, Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany), after years of tension and arduous negotiations.

The agreement allowed the lifting of many sanctions that were imposed on the Islamic Republic, in return for reducing its nuclear activities and ensuring the peacefulness of its program.

However, the effects of the agreement have almost disappeared since former US President Donald Trump decided to unilaterally withdraw his country from the agreement in 2018, and re-impose harsh sanctions on Iran.

Nearly a year after the US withdrawal, Iran has begun to gradually back away from most of its core commitments under the deal.

Negotiations between the major powers and Tehran to revive the 2015 agreement have reached an impasse.

On Monday, Iran announced that it was taking measures to respond to a resolution of the International Atomic Energy Agency criticizing Tehran's lack of cooperation with the agency.

On the other hand, ISNA stated that "the Atomic Energy Organization took a second step to review two series of centrifuges, IR-2M and IR-4, at the Natanz site and pump gas into them," in addition to "preparing two other series of these devices to pump gas into them."

This increase in the production of enriched uranium increased by 60% at a time when Iran reduced its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency and limited visits by its inspectors.
Source: AFP