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A30 world news
Diaranson 14 aPriL 2021

Official: Iran to enrich uranium to 60%, highest level ever

(AP) — Iran will begin negotiations is the time for any incident there. Ali Khamenei had threatened alongside visiting Russian
enriching uranium up to the U.S. to present a list and Iran insists its nuclear program to go to that level in February Foreign Minister Sergey
60% purity after an attack I hope that I can go back is peaceful, though the West if the country needed. Lavrov. “They should know
on its Natanz nuclear to Tehran with the list of and the International Atomic “We are determined to develop that these actions would only
facility, a negotiator sanctions which should be Energy Agency say Tehran our nuclear capabilities in make the situation difficult
said Tuesday, pushing its lifted,” Araghchi told Iranian had an organized military line with the needs of the for them.”
program to higher levels state television’s English- nuclear program up until the country,” Khamenei said
than ever before though language arm Press TV. end of 2003. However, the then, according to a transcript Zarif separately renewed
still remaining short of “Otherwise, I don’t believe nuclear deal prevents it from of his speech published by his earlier warning to Israel
weapons-grade. we can continue like this. having enough of a uranium his website. “For this reason, over the sabotage, saying
Otherwise, it would be a stockpile to be able to pursue Iran’s enrichment will not that if Iran determines its
The announcement marks waste of time.” a nuclear weapon. be limited to 20%, and we archenemy was behind
a significant escalation after He said authorities would will take whatever action is it, “then Israel will get its
the sabotage that damaged add another 1,000 centrifuges The talks in Vienna are aimed necessary for the country.” response and will see what a
centrifuges, suspected of to Natanz as well. at reviving America’s role in Iran previously had said it stupid thing it has done.”
having been carried out by “The damaged centrifuges in that agreement, which former could use uranium enriched Kayhan, the hard-line Tehran
Israel — and could inspire a Natanz ... would be replaced President Donald Trump up to 60% for nuclear- newspaper, urged Iran to
further response from Israel with more-advanced abandoned, and lifting the powered ships. However, the “walk out of the Vienna
amid a long-running shadow centrifuges and more- sanctions he imposed. Islamic Republic currently talks, suspend all nuclear
war between the nations. capable centrifuges,” he said. The Vienna-based IAEA has no such ships in its navy. commitments, retaliate
Israeli Prime Minister “We insist on what we have told The Associated Press Details remained scarce against Israel and identify
Benjamin Netanyahu asked. All sanctions should that Director General Rafael about the weekend attack and dismantle the domestic
has vowed never to allow be lifted, we verify and then Grossi reported to member at Natanz. The event was infiltration network behind
Tehran to obtain a nuclear we go back to full compliance states on Tuesday that Iran initially described only as the sabotage.”
weapon and his country has if we are satisfied with the had informed the agency it a blackout in the electrical Iran’s withdrawal from
twice preemptively bombed verification process.” planned to begin enriching grid feeding above-ground the talks remains unlikely
Mideast nations to stop their Iran had been enriching up to uranium up to 60% purity workshops and underground as the administration of
atomic programs. 20% — even that was a short at its Natanz facility. IAEA enrichment halls — but President Hassan Rouhani,
Already earlier in the day, technical step to weapons- inspectors have been closely later Iranian officials began whose main diplomatic
Iran’s foreign minister had grade levels of 90%. monitoring Tehran’s program referring to it as an attack. achievement was the 2015
warned that the weekend Meanwhile on Tuesday, since the 2015 nuclear deal. The U.S. has insisted it had accord, hopes to get the
assault at Natanz could hurt Israeli broadcaster Channel Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia’s nothing to do with Sunday’s U.S. to rejoin it and provide
ongoing negotiations over 12 reported an Israeli-owned ambassador to the IAEA, said sabotage. Instead, Israel desperately needed sanctions
its tattered atomic deal with ship had been attacked in the that “those who undertook is widely believed to have relief. But the announcement
world powers. Those talks are Gulf of Oman off the coast an act of sabotage against carried out the assault that that it would enrich uranium
aimed at finding a way for the of the United Arab Emirates the nuclear facility in damaged centrifuges, though further shows how pressure
United States to re-enter the near the port city of Fujairah. Natanz probably wanted to it has not claimed it. has been growing within
agreement, the goal of which The broadcaster said Israeli undermine the process of” But earlier Iranian Foreign Iran’s theocracy over how to
is to limit Iran’s uranium security officials believed it reviving the nuclear accord. Minister Mohammad Javad respond to the attack.
enrichment in exchange for was an Iranian attack, but did “They underestimated the Zarif still issued a warning to Rouhani met later Tuesday
relief on sanctions. not elaborate. Iranian state possibility of significant ‘side Washington. with Lavrov and stressed
Nuclear negotiator Abbas media had been reporting a effects,’” he tweeted. Russia the importance of all parties
Araghchi, in Vienna to begin similar incident for hours. is a member of the nuclear “Americans should know that returning to the deal.
informal talks Tuesday night, U.S. military officials deal. neither sanctions nor sabotage “We are neither ready to
made a point to make his declined to immediately The move to 60% had been actions would provide them accept less than that, nor are
announcement in English. comment and Emirati hinted at in the past. Iran’s with an instrument for we after achieving more than
“We believe this round of officials did not acknowledge Supreme Leader Ayatollah talks,” Zarif said in Tehran that,” he said.