By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
JERUSALEM/TEHRAN (Worthy News) – Tehran has condemned three European nations for pursuing a new censure resolution against Iran at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) after a leaked report showed the country is expanding its stockpile of uranium enriched to near-weapons-grade levels.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi cited efforts by France, Germany, and the United Kingdom to pass their fourth resolution since 2020 during the United Nations nuclear watchdog’s board meetings, which start on Wednesday.
“This move…is in clear confrontation with the positive atmosphere created in engagements between Iran and the IAEA, and will only make the issue more complicated,” Araghchi told his French counterpart Jean-Noel Barrot in a phone conversation, according to Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The announcement came as the IAEA warned that as of October 26, Tehran had 182.3 kilograms (401.9 pounds) of uranium enriched up to 60 percent, an increase of 17.6 kilograms (38.8 pounds) since its last report in August.
This level of enrichment is just a technical step from 90 percent enrichment, considered weapons grade, enough to develop a nuclear bomb quickly.
Earlier this week, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said Tehran hopes that Wednesday’s IAEA meeting, which is expected to pass a resolution against the Islamic Republic, will remain free of “political pressure.”
Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei Baghaei told reporters at a press conference that the Islamic Republic hopes Britain, Germany, and France will “allow the issues between Iran and the [IAEA] agency to continue in a technical way and away from political pressures and considerations.”
NUCLEAR WEAPON
However, Israel and its allies fear Iran will soon develop a nuclear weapon, further escalating wars between the Jewish nation and Iran’s proxies in Lebanon, Gaza, and other areas.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned this week that Iran was “more exposed than ever to strikes on its nuclear facilities,” Worthy News learned.
“We have the opportunity to achieve our most important goal—to thwart and eliminate the existential threat to the State of Israel,” he added.
IAEA director Rafael Grossi expressed concerns about a military strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
“I say this with regards to Iran … nuclear installations should not be attacked,” he said in an apparent message to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
Yet with Iran just “about 12 days” away from developing one bomb’s worth of fissile material, according to U.S. officials’ patience was running out in Israel and among allies.
Copyright 1999-2024 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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