IAEA: Iran Plans to Increase Uranium Enrichment at Natanz and Fordow

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in its latest report on Iran's nuclear program states that Tehran announced on November 23, one day after the approval of a punitive resolution by the Board of Governors, its plan to install 18 new cascades, each consisting of 166 IR-4 centrifuges at the Natanz enrichment facility. The agency confirmed that the installation of the first two cascades out of these 18 has begun. According to the report, which has been seen by Reuters and was published on Thursday evening, December 29, Iran simultaneously informed the agency of its plan to install a large cascade consisting of 1,152 IR-6 centrifuges in Natanz with the aim of enriching uranium to a purity of 5 percent. This UN monitoring body states that it is assessing the impact of these technical developments on the amount and number of inspections required from these facilities and will inform Iran as soon as it is finalized. The latest report from the agency also states that Iran has informed this body that it intends to launch complete or semi-complete cascades, including 174 IR-4, IR-6, or IR-2M centrifuges in fifteen 'research and development' production lines at its experimental enrichment facility in Natanz – which is built above ground, unlike the main facility – on an experimental basis. The agency confirmed the rapid installation of new centrifuges at the Fordow facility. Accordingly, Tehran has confirmed that it intends to activate six of these fifteen research production lines for independent operation or in pairs, for enrichment up to 5 percent. The latest agency report also indicates that Iran has informed the agency of its plan to inject uranium into eight cascades of modern IR-6 centrifuges that have recently been installed at the Fordow facility, stating that it will enrich uranium to a concentration of 5 percent in these cascades. However, the UN monitoring body emphasized that as of December 28, Tehran had not yet begun injecting uranium into these new cascades. The agency's report, prepared for the members of this body, emphasizes that the agency has informed Tehran of the necessary changes regarding the increase in inspections at Fordow, considering the installation of new machinery. The IAEA also confirmed on December 24 that Iran has completed the installation of two additional sets of IR-2M centrifuges, totaling 36 machines. Tehran, in a letter dated December 25, announced its intention to launch and operationalize these two cascades. The Islamic Republic had warned about the consequences of the possible approval of a punitive resolution against Iran on the eve of last week's meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors. Iranian officials immediately announced the launch of new cascades of centrifuge machines following the approval of the resolution proposed by the United States and three European powers at the Board of Governors meeting. While a new round of negotiations between Tehran and the three European countries is set to begin on Friday, December 30, in Geneva, Swiss Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has warned about the 'possibility of a change in Iran's nuclear doctrine and Tehran moving towards a military program if the trigger mechanism is activated and international sanctions against Tehran are reinstated.'