MOSCOW, July 9. /TASS/: Just like any other member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Iran has the right to possess as much uranium enriched to 4.5% as it needs, Russia’s Permanent Representative to the Vienna-based international organizations Mikhail Ulyanov said on Tuesday.
"IAEA reported that the new level of uranium enrichment in the Islamic Republic is 4.5% instead of previous 3.67%. This is low-enriched uranium, which has nothing to do with nuclear weapons. Any IAEA member has the right to possess an unlimited stockpile of it. Under international control, it poses no risks for non-proliferation," the ambassador said in a Twitter post.
On July 8, the International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed that Iran had surpassed the 3.67% uranium enrichment limit envisioned by the Iran nuclear deal. On July 1, it said that Iran had exceeded the 300kg limit of low-enriched uranium stockpiles.
The IAEA Board of Governors will meet on July 10 to discuss the situation around the Iranian nuclear dossier. The meeting was requested by the United States’ mission to the Vienna-based international organizations, which insists the international community bring to responsibility the Iranian authorities following these steps.
Tensions over Iran’s nuclear program exacerbated after Washington unilaterally withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Actions (JCPOA) on Iran’s nuclear program on May 8, 2018 and slapped US economic sanctions on Iran’s oil exports. On July 7, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced that Tehran sought to preserve the nuclear deal and its latest steps were aimed at encouraging European partners to meet their commitments. The senior diplomat voiced hope that in the coming 60 days Iran would manage to achieve agreements with the Europeans on preserving the JCPOA. Otherwise, Iran would keep scaling down its commitments under the deal.
