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WORLD NEWS Tuesday 18 June 2019

Iran says it will break uranium stockpile limit in 10 days

By NASSER KARIMI footage it captured that
JON GAMBRELL American officials describe
Associated Press as an Iranian Revolutionary
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran will Guard vessel removing an
break the uranium stock- unexploded mine from the
pile limit set by Tehran’s nu- Japanese-operated tanker
clear deal with world pow- Kokuka Courageous, one
ers in the next 10 days, the of the two ships that were
spokesman for the coun- targeted.
try’s atomic agency said The Japanese tanker’s
Monday while also warn- crewmembers appeared
ing that Iran has the need to contradict the assertion
for uranium enriched up to that mines were used. They
20%, just a step away from described “flying objects”
weapons-grade levels. as having targeted the ves-
The announcement indi- sel. Speaking on “Fox News
cated Iran’s determination Sunday,” U.S. Secretary of
to break from the landmark State Mike Pompeo reiter-
2015 accord, which has ated the U.S. official posi-
steadily unraveled since tion. He claimed that intel-
the Trump administration ligence officials have “lots
pulled America out of the of data, lots of evidence”
deal last year and re-im- This Jan. 15, 2011 file photo, shows a part of Arak heavy water nuclear facilities, near the central tying Iran to the attacks,
posed tough economic city of Arak, 150 miles (250 kilometers) southwest of the capital Tehran, Iran. though he did not provide
sanctions on Iran, sending Associated Press any specifics. He called the
its economy into freefall. keep Tehran from build- is the current limit set by the lowed by the nuclear deal, alleged shipping attacks
The spokesman for Iran’s ing atomic weapons in ex- nuclear deal. means removing 114 un- “an international chal-
nuclear agency, Behrouz change for economic in- Iran’s needs 5% enrichment wanted atoms of U-238 for lenge, important to the en-
Kamalvandi, made the an- centives. for its nuclear power plant every atom of U-235. tire globe.”
nouncement during a press But Trump’s pullout and the in southern Iranian port of Boosting its purity to 20% In Brussels on Monday, Eu-
conference with local jour- U.S. campaign of sanctions Bushehr and it also needs means removing 22 more ropean Union foreign minis-
nalists at Iran’s Arak heavy hammering Iran’s anemic 20% enrichment for a Teh- unwanted isotopes per ters said they were still look-
water facility that was car- economy and blocking its ran research reactor, the atom of U-235, while go- ing for more information on
ried live on Iranian state sale of oil on the global mar- spokesman said. ing from there to 90% purity who might be behind the
television. ket only made life worse, In May, Iranian President means removing just four incident involving the tank-
The development comes putting further pressure on Hassan Rouhani warned more per atom of U-235. ers. Germany and others in-
in the wake of suspected Iran’s Shiite theocracy and the country would enrich Ninety percent is consid- sisted they need a clearer
attacks on oil tankers last its 80 million people. its uranium stockpile closer ered weapons-grade ma- picture before wading into
week in the region, at- Kamalvandi acknowl- to weapons-grade levels in terial. a diplomatic conflict which
tacks that Washington has edged that the country 60 days if world powers fail That means going from 20% could have serious implica-
blamed on Iran, and also already quadrupled its pro- to negotiate new terms for to 90% is a relatively quick- tions in the Middle East.
as tensions have spiked be- duction of low-enriched the nuclear deal. er process, something that German Foreign Minister
tween Iran and the United uranium and said Tehran When uranium is mined, worries nuclear nonprolif- Heiko Maas said that U.S.
States, a year after Presi- would increase uranium it typically has about 140 eration experts. and British intelligence
dent Donald Trump unilat- enrichment levels “based atoms of an unwanted The U.S. alleges Iran used needs to be compared
erally withdrew America for on the country’s needs.” isotope for every atom of limpet mines to target the with other information from
the nuclear deal. That increase could be to U-235. Refining it to a purity tankers last Thursday, point- allies. “We have to be very
The deal was meant to any level, from 3.67% which of 3.67%, the level now al- ing to black-and-white careful,” he said.q

EU leader Tusk queried about tax policies as Poland’s PM

Associated Press state budget billions of zlo- out of respect for the Polish
WARSAW, Poland (AP) — tys (hundreds of millions of state. Government critics
Lawmakers in Poland ques- U.S. dollars) in lost revenue. alleged the questioning
tioned EU Council president Tusk said the Law and was part of the right-wing
Donald Tusk on Monday for Justice party, which now ruling party’s efforts to dis-
an investigation of tax eva- governs Poland, opposed credit Tusk and his circle,
sion by private businesses many of the steps his gov- the leading rivals of Law
that took place when he ernment proposed to curb and Justice. Party mem-
was the country’s prime abuse of the VAT system, bers comprise a majority on
minister. adding that the problem of the tax evasion panel.
A parliamentary panel tax evasion by private busi- The ruling party lawmaker
that had subpoenaed Tusk nesses has continued since leading the panel, Marcin
quizzed him about his 2007- he left office. Horala, said before Tusk’s
2014 government’s fail- He accused the panel of formal appearance start-
ure to curb illegal business having a political bias that ed that there was “suppo-
practices dealing with val- would lead lawmakers to sition” he had insufficient European People’s Party member and Candidate for the next
ue-added taxes on goods preconceived conclusions control as prime minister president of the European Commission, Germany’s Manfred
and services. The current about his allegedly poor over law enforcement Weber is welcomed by European Council President Donald Tusk
ahead to a meeting on EU top jobs at the Europa building in
government estimates the performance as prime min- agencies or failed to take Brussels, Thursday, June 13, 2019.
unlawful practices cost the ister. Tusk said he appeared proper action. q Associated Press