Ghalibaf: In Response to the IAEA Resolution, We Have Launched New Centrifuges

The United States, Britain, France, and Germany welcomed the recent resolution issued by the IAEA Board of Governors, expressing deep concern that Iran has chosen to expand its nuclear program instead of responding and cooperating with the agency. In a joint statement released on Saturday, November 24, they called on Iran to return to the path of dialogue and cooperation with the agency. The statement, published on the U.S. State Department's website, noted serious concerns regarding Tehran's announcements, stating, "We are seriously concerned about what Tehran has announced, reminding that instead of responding to the resolution cooperatively, Iran intends to respond by further expanding its nuclear program in ways that lack a credible peaceful rationale." On Thursday evening, immediately after the IAEA Board's resolution was issued, Iran announced that it would significantly increase the speed and capacity of uranium enrichment and launch a large number of new and advanced centrifuges. On Sunday, November 25, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, the Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, stated in a public session about the mentioned resolution that "the Islamic Republic of Iran's reciprocal response to this political abuse of the IAEA Board was immediately put on the agenda, and the launch of a series of new and advanced centrifuges began." The four Western powers emphasized in their joint statement that the recent IAEA resolution was in response to "the continued lack of cooperation" and that it is "essential and urgent for Iran to resolve these issues." They also reminded that despite the "continuous efforts" of the agency's director-general, "Iran has not provided the necessary information or cooperation for their review and has instead responded to the Board’s requests with threats and provocations." According to this joint statement, "The agency has been seeking clarification of outstanding safeguards issues and progress since 2019; for nearly five years, Iran has continuously failed to fulfill its commitments to the agency." The recent IAEA resolution emphasized that it is "essential and urgent" for Iran to fulfill its legal obligations under the NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty) and also to provide a "valid technical explanation" for the presence of uranium particles at undeclared sites. The U.S., Britain, France, and Germany reminded in their joint statement that according to the recent resolution, the agency must prepare a "comprehensive report" on Iran's nuclear activities and present it to the next quarterly meeting of the Board of Governors. The statement from these four global powers expressed hope that Iran would take advantage of the opportunity it has until the report is presented to finally provide the necessary information and cooperation to resolve these issues. The draft resolution reprimanding Iran, which was approved on Thursday evening at the IAEA Board, was prepared and presented by France, Germany, and Britain (the three European countries involved in the JCPOA) with the support of the United States. The three European countries, shortly before the voting at the Board meeting, expressed concern over the expansion of Iran's enriched uranium stockpiles to 60 percent in a joint statement. Following the approval of the IAEA Board resolution, the Iranian Foreign Ministry and the Atomic Energy Organization issued a joint statement declaring that "as in the past and within the framework of the agreements made," they would continue technical and safeguards cooperation with the agency. Iranian officials assert that Iran's nuclear program is peaceful in nature, but tensions over Tehran's nuclear activities are increasing, and several Iranian officials have recently spoken about the possibility of a "change in nuclear doctrine."