Iran launches production of new centrifuges

dpa Tehran Iranian President Hassan Rowhani on Saturday launched a production line of new IR-9 centrifuges, which would allow the country to significantly...

dpa TehranIranian President Hassan Rowhani on Saturday launched a production line of new IR-9 centrifuges, which would allow the country to significantly increase its uranium enrichment.During the opening ceremony, Rowhani spoke of a “great achievement” of the scientists of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), in comments carried by state television.“We are conforming to the nuclear weapons non-proliferation treaty and don’t pursue military goals,” Rowhani said. “That’s why a peaceful nuclear programme is our legitimate right which we will pursue without foreign help.” In the 2015 Vienna nuclear deal, Iran agreed to use only older centrifuges of the type IR-1 and keep uranium enrichment below the grade of 4 per cent.But after the United States left the deal in 2018, Tehran also gradually stopped honouring its commmitments under the deal.According to the AEOI, with four months Iran enriched 57 kilogrammes of uranium at 20 percent.The AEOI also said that with the new centrifuges, it will be able to increase enrichment to 60 percent.During the ceremony, Rowhani criticized the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). “The task of the IAEA is not only to lead inspections and file reports, but also to support the members in technical matters,” he said, adding that this technical support had not happened.In recent months, the IAEA had reported of several violations of the nuclear deal committed by Iran.