Former Head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization: We Did Not Abandon the JCPOA, but We Produced Uranium Metal

The former head of the Islamic Republic's Atomic Energy Organization claimed that Iran has not lost anything technically in the JCPOA, stating: "In the JCPOA, we accepted a limitation in appearance, but we did not lose anything technically." Ali Akbar Salehi added in an interview with IRNA: "Based on the law of the parliament, we immediately began producing 20% fuel, and in nearly a year, we produced about 400 kg of 20% fuel." The former head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization stated: "We also produced over 100 kg of 60% fuel and uranium metal, and new generation centrifuges like IR-9, which has 50 times the capacity of the old generation, are being showcased and are in the process of testing." The U.S. intelligence community, which includes several agencies such as the CIA and NSA, reported in a document published in March 2023 that work on uranium metal, a key capability needed for nuclear weapons production, was prohibited under the JCPOA. According to this report, Iran continues to increase its enriched uranium reserves beyond the JCPOA limits and is exceeding JCPOA restrictions on research and development of advanced centrifuges, continuing uranium enrichment operations at the Fordow underground facility, which is prohibited under the JCPOA. Additionally, White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre commented on the expansion of enrichment activities in Iran, which the U.S. and allied countries have expressed serious concerns about, saying: "We are monitoring Iran's enrichment activities, and we are prepared for all scenarios and options, and we have planned in coordination with partners and allies, as the President and the State Department have stated." U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Bob Menendez of New Jersey, and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut jointly introduced the "Enrichment Oversight Act" aimed at "transparency" and "informed decision-making" regarding the Islamic Republic's nuclear program in 2023. This bill aims to increase oversight of the Islamic Republic's nuclear activities, requiring the Office of National Intelligence to inform Congress within 48 hours of the production or possession of enriched uranium with a purity of over 60%. This bill seeks to minimize the opportunity for the Islamic Republic to produce nuclear weapons without Congress's knowledge.