West’s ‘serious concern’ over more centrifuges for Iran nuclear program

The US, Britain, France and Germany have expressed ‘serious concern’ over Iran’s plans to launch new centrifuges for its nuclear program.

The flag of Iran outside of the IAEA headquarters in Vienna. Picture: AFP

The US, Britain, France and Germany have expressed “serious concern” over Iran’s plans to launch a series of new centrifuges for its nuclear program, urging Tehran to re-engage with the UN nuclear watchdog.

Iran’s announcement came after the four Western powers brought a censure motion targeting the Islamic republic at the 35-nation board of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

“We note with serious concern Iran’s announcement … that, instead of responding to the resolution with co-operation, it plans to respond with further expansion of its nuclear program in ways that have no credible peaceful rationale,” the four nations said in a joint statement.

“We expect Iran to re-engage on the path of dialogue and co-operation with the agency.”

On Friday, Iran said it would launch a “significant series of new and advanced centrifuges of various types”. Centrifuges are the machines that enrich uranium transformed into gas by rotating it at very high speed, increasing the proportion of fissile isotope material (U-235).

“At the same time, technical and safeguards co-operation with the IAEA will continue, as in the past” and within the framework of agreements made by Tehran, said a joint statement from Iran’s foreign ministry and its atomic energy organisation.

Behrouz Kamalvandi, a spokesman for Iran’s atomic ­energy organisation, on Friday said the new measures were mostly related to uranium enrichment. Tensions are running high over Iran’s atomic program, with critics fearing Tehran is attempting to develop a nuclear weapon – a claim it has repeatedly denied.

In their four-way statement on Saturday, the US, Britain, France and Germany welcomed the adoption of the IAEA resolution, saying it was in response to Iran’s “continued failure” to co-operate with the watchdog. The resolution says it is “essential and ­urgent” for Iran to “act to fulfil its legal obligations” under the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

AFP