Iran to launch ‘new, advanced’ centrifuges in response to IAEA resolution: AEOI

The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) says it plans to activate a “series of new and advanced centrifuges” in response to the latest politically-motivated resolution issued by the UN nuclear agency. 

The International Atomic Energy Agency's Board of Governors on Thursday voted 19 to 3, with 12 abstentions, for the resolution, brought by Britain, France, and Germany (E3), that alleged Tehran had a poor cooperation with the agency and requested a "comprehensive" report on its nuclear activities "at the latest" by spring 2025.

“After the resolution, we immediately started our remedial measures. We will significantly increase enrichment capacity,” Behrouz Kamalvandi, Deputy Chairman of International, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, said in a televised interview on Friday.

He added that the AEOI will use a variety of advanced machines, increase the speed of research and industrial development for each of these machines and improve infrastructures.

He said the European countries seek to push Iran’s nuclear industry backward through pressure tactics “but this will never happen.”

Kamalvandi added that the number of countries that voted in favor of Europe in passing a new resolution against Iran was significantly fewer than before.

An earlier resolution in June, tabled by France, Britain, and Germany (E3), received significant support, with 20 member states voting in favor. China and Russia voted against the resolution and 12 countries abstained from the vote.

IAEA chief tours two key Iranian nuclear facilities

The IAEA chief tours two Iran’s key nuclear sites of Fordow and Natanz.

The AEOI official said the IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi toured Iran’s enrichment complexes and thousands of centrifuge machines during his visit to the country last week.

“We told him these [centrifuges] were ready and that we were looking for interaction. But if they want to adopt other methods, we were also ready,” Kamalvandi said.

The IAEA chief proposed a temporary pause on reserves of 60% and higher enrichment levels -- not a permanent halt – to prepare the ground for interaction, he added.

"We accepted this [proposal] with conditions but we made it clear that we will act on the spot," he said.

The Iranian nuclear official noted that the AEOI Thursday night informed the IAEA of the measures that the country will take in response to the 35-nation board’s resolution.

He said the resolution will “lead to an increase in our capacity in the nuclear industry sectors.”

In a joint statement released early on Friday, the Iranian Foreign Ministry and the AEOI said directives had been issued to "initiate the operation of a substantial number of advanced centrifuges of various models."

According to the statement, the measure, which is taken to safeguard Iran’s national interests and address its growing need for the civilian nuclear program, lies within the framework of the country’s rights and obligations under the Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement.

Iran had already warned that any resolution against its peaceful nuclear program would be met with a quick response.

In 2015, Iran proved the peaceful nature of its nuclear program to the world by signing the JCPOA with six world powers.

However, Washington’s unilateral withdrawal in 2018 and its subsequent re-imposition of sanctions against Tehran left the future of the deal in limbo.

In 2019, Iran started to roll back the limits it had accepted under the JCPOA after the other parties failed to live up to their commitments.

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