Iran’s Uranium Enrichment at Fortified Site Draws U.S. Criticism
Iran has begun enriching uranium at a heavily fortified underground site, the International Atomic Energy Agency said in an announcement that drew immediate U.S. condemnation.
“The IAEA can confirm that Iran has started the production of uranium enriched up to 20 percent in U-235 using IR-1 centrifuges in the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant,” IAEA spokesman Gill Tudor said in an e-mail today. “All nuclear material in the facility remains under the agency’s containment and surveillance.”
IAEA inspectors conduct safeguard inspections of the facility in Fordow, near the holy city of Qom. U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said the enrichment represented an “escalation” of Iranian violations of United Nations agreements on their nuclear program.
“This is a further escalation of their ongoing violations with regard to their nuclear obligations,” Nuland said today. “We call on Iran once again to suspend enrichment activities.”
Nuland said Iran was taking the “next step” and couldn’t have civilian uses in mind.
“When you enrich to 20 percent there’s no possible use if you’re talking about a peaceful purpose,” Nuland said. “You’re enriching to a level that takes you to a different kind of nuclear program.”
She said the U.S. was open to talks with Iran if it would “come clean” about its nuclear program.
Escalating Tensions
Tensions between Iran and the West have escalated as the U.S. moves to sanction Iran’s central bank and the European Union considers an embargo on Iranian oil (OPCRIRAN).
Iran threatened last month to shut the Strait of Hormuz, a transit point for one fifth of oil traded worldwide, if sanctions are imposed on its crude exports.
Jay Carney, the White House press secretary, said moves on additional sanctions “must be timed and phased” to avoid damage to oil markets.
Today, an Iranian court sentenced to death a former U.S. soldier of Iranian descent for alleged spying. The U.S. has rejected those accusations and called for his release. “We consider these charges a complete fabrication,” Nuland said.
To contact the reporters on this story: Nicole Gaouette in Washington at ngaouette@bloomberg.net Flavia Krause-Jackson at fjackson@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Mark Silva at msilva34@bloomberg.net
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