Atomic Energy Organization: We Can Resume 20% Enrichment Within 48 Hours

The spokesperson for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran stated that Iran's nuclear facilities are capable of returning to the pre-JCPOA status within '48 hours' and can even advance 'several times beyond that.' Behrouz Kamalvandi made this remark in an interview with the 'Al-Alam' television network when asked how long it would take for Iran's nuclear power plants to revert to the conditions before the signing of the nuclear agreement with world powers. According to Kamalvandi, 'We can not only return to the previous status but also advance significantly beyond that. We have a lot of flexibility. In terms of enrichment levels and amounts, the number of centrifuges, and other factors, we can act quickly.' He mentioned, for example, 'If we want to enrich to 20%, we can take action in less than 48 hours. Based on the new machines we are employing, we can increase the enrichment speed.' Under the nuclear agreement with six world powers, Iran accepted to impose restrictions on its nuclear program in exchange for exemptions from Western economic sanctions. Among these restrictions were limits on enrichment levels and uranium stockpiles, with one of the prerequisites for the implementation of the JCPOA being that Iran not have more than 300 kilograms of low-enriched uranium. This was confirmed by the then U.S. Secretary of State in late December 2015, just weeks before the JCPOA's implementation. Iran also committed to limits on its enrichment capacity, agreeing not to increase the number of active centrifuges at the Natanz enrichment facility from 5,060 for ten years, with the centrifuges used during this period being of the 'IR-1' type, which are among Iran's oldest centrifuges. However, the spokesperson for Iran's Atomic Energy Organization has now stated that they can 'for example... start production with new machines (centrifuges). Additionally, the old machines we have stored and collected can also be replaced, and perhaps within two to three months, all the machines that were collected can be reinstalled.' Kamalvandi added, 'If previously two cascades produced 20%, we might put four cascades to produce 20%. If the decision is to produce 20% for Tehran's power plant, we can now do this faster than before.' 'Obstacles from Washington's Pressures' The spokesperson for Iran's Atomic Energy Organization also criticized Donald Trump's policies regarding the JCPOA, claiming that these policies have isolated Washington itself. Kamalvandi acknowledged, however, that the new U.S. policies have 'created pressures on the Islamic Republic regarding the use of lifted economic sanctions and created obstacles.' He stated that the Americans are 'somehow violating their commitments or creating ambiguities and preventing others from having economic and trade relations with Iran,' linking part of Iran's actions in the event of the United States' exit from the nuclear agreement to the 'political aspect' of the country. This official also claimed that 'Trump lacks the necessary courage [to exit the JCPOA]. Because if they are going to do something, there is no reason to just talk about it. They first said they wanted to tear up the JCPOA, then they said they wanted to exit it, and now they have been postponing this issue for a long time under various pretexts.' He also described the U.S. President's conditions for remaining in the JCPOA as 'unfeasible' and stated that 'permanently limiting' Iran under the JCPOA 'will be a dream for America.' Trump, a staunch critic of the nuclear agreement with Iran since his election campaign, has repeatedly called the JCPOA 'the worst deal in U.S. history' and set four conditions for continued U.S. participation in the agreement. These conditions include 'immediate access' for international inspectors to all Iranian sites and facilities, the permanent limitation of Iran's nuclear program, guarantees against approaching nuclear weapons, and restrictions on Iran's long-range missile program. Trump believes that Iran's long-range missile program and its nuclear weapons program are 'inseparable,' and his administration officials have stated that the new U.S. government is reviewing the nuclear agreement in a broader context that includes destabilizing behaviors and Iran's missile programs. The European stance on missile activities is 'fruitless.' The spokesperson for Iran's Atomic Energy Organization further stated that the position of 'one or two European countries under U.S. pressure' regarding Iran's missile activities 'practically has no specific result for them.' Kamalvandi commented on U.S. pressure on Europe to negotiate over ballistic missiles, stating that 'the issue is not for the Europeans to say that we must negotiate about missile or regional issues within the framework of the JCPOA. The Europeans know what they have committed to with Iran, and this issue is entirely clear to them.' He continued, 'Our commitment regarding missile issues is that we do not produce or test missiles that are capable of carrying nuclear warheads and designed for this purpose, which the Islamic Republic of Iran has accepted and is also adhering to.' This atomic official also stated that Iran complies with the JCPOA's provisions regarding its missile activities, and according to him, 'the Europeans have not said that the Islamic Republic does not comply with this issue, and we must negotiate with Iran in this regard.' According to Kamalvandi, missile negotiations 'cannot be raised within the framework of the JCPOA, and outside of the JCPOA framework, the Islamic Republic of Iran will not accept this issue.' The spokesperson added that 'the UN resolution invites the Islamic Republic of Iran, although not that the Islamic Republic has made a commitment, but it has been requested to refrain from producing such missiles for a certain period, although not permanently, for ten years.' These remarks by the Iranian atomic official regarding the 'fruitlessness' of European positions on Iran's missile activities come as European countries supporting the JCPOA have also, alongside the U.S. government, called on Iran to refrain from developing ballistic missiles and actions that threaten regional security and stability. Jean-Yves Le Drian, the French Foreign Minister, who met with Iranian officials in Tehran on Monday, previously stated that Tehran must respond to concerns about its missile program. He emphasized that Tehran's missile program 'with a range of several thousand kilometers' is contrary to UN Security Council resolutions, and 'if this issue is not resolved, Iran will face the risk of new sanctions.'