from Francois Murphy
VIENNA, Oct 11 (Archyde.com) – Iran is on track with a planned expansion of uranium enrichment using advanced centrifuges at an underground facility in Natanz, and now plans to move forward, a confidential U.N. to a greater extent.
And while indirect talks between Iran and the United States on reviving the 2015 nuclear deal faltered, Tehran has put into service a larger number of advanced centrifuges that the deal bans from being used to produce enriched uranium.
These machines are much more efficient than the first-generation IR-1, the only centrifuge that the deal allows Iran to use to develop its stockpile of enriched uranium. Iran is installing these devices in two locations, particularly underground, in Natanz and Fordow, that may be able to withstand a possible aerial bombardment.
The IAEA’s report to member states said the third set of advanced centrifuges (IR-6) recently installed at the underground enrichment plant in Natanz is now operational. Diplomats say the IR-6 is Iran’s newest centrifuge.
Monday’s IAEA report showed that Iran also completed the installation of seven sets of centrifuges that were either incomplete or in a very early stage of the installation process on Aug. 31, the date of the last visit by inspectors mentioned in the agency’s latest quarterly report.
The report indicated that these seven groups, which consist of one (IR-4) centrifuges and six (IR-2M), have been fully installed but have not yet begun to enrich uranium.
The report also showed that Iran also informed the IAEA that it plans to add three sets of centrifuges (IR-2M), to join the 12 already announced and installed.
Of these three groups of IR-2M devices, installation of two has already begun, according to the report.
The report said that all centrifuges used in enrichment in Natanz are still producing uranium hexafluoride enriched to a level of five percent, but now it is fed with natural uranium hexafluoride. This contrasts with the September quarterly report which said that on August 31 centrifuges were being fed with uranium hexafluoride enriched to a level of 2 percent. The report did not explain this change.
In 2018, then US President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from the Iran agreement and re-imposed the sanctions that the agreement had lifted on Tehran. Iran responded by breaching restrictions on its nuclear activities under the deal.
Diplomats say that if the deal is revived, Iran will have to turn off its advanced centrifuges.