The Iranian flag waves in front of the International Atomic Energy Agency headquarters in Vienna, Austria May 23, 2021. (LEONHARD FOEGER / REUTERS)
TEHRAN – The Iranian nuclear chief confirmed on Wednesday media reports that Iran has begun enriching uranium with the third cascade of new centrifuges at its facility, official IRNA news agency reported.
Mohammad Eslami, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran expressed regret about the leakage of a confidential report by the International Atomic Energy Agency on Iran's nuclear activity, urging the UN nuclear watchdog to "observe confidentiality considerations"
All of Iran's nuclear activities are carried out under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said Mohammad Eslami, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran.
The IAEA is officially informed about the design, implementation, and operation time of Iran's plans, he added.
However, Eslami expressed regret about the leakage of a confidential IAEA report on Iran's nuclear activity, urging the UN nuclear watchdog to "observe confidentiality considerations."
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Western media reported on Monday that the third of three cascades, or clusters, of advanced IR-6 centrifuges recently installed at the Natanz establishment, has now come on stream.
The reported enrichment activity was implemented in line with Iran's strategic action plan, Eslami noted, referring to a counter-sanctions law passed by the Iranian parliament in December 2020 that enabled Iran to drop parts of its commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
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Iran dropped some of its commitments under the JCPOA, in response to the US withdrawal from the international deal in 2018 and reimposition of sanctions against Iran.