The International Atomic Energy Agency has warned against Iranian expansion of uranium beyond the highly enriched threshold of 20 per cent purity.

The UN nuclear watchdog said it will ''increase the frequency and intensity of its safeguards activities'' at the Natanz uranium enrichment facility 250 km (155 miles) south of the Iranian capital Tehran.&nbsp;

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Earlier, Iran was already enriching its uranium to 60 per cent at the Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant (PFEP). The 20 per cent addition will push it closer to the weapons-grade category which lies at 90 per cent.

The West has slammed the enrichment process as it is irreversible. However, since this time the new activity does not involve keeping the product, it will not immediately accelerate Iran's production of uranium enriched to close to weapons-grade.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-calls-on-us-to-be-more-active-to-revive-iran-nuclear-deal-416020">Also read |&nbsp;Russia calls on US to 'be more active' to revive Iran nuclear deal</a>

IAEA chief Raffael Gross said he was still waiting for a "high level" discussion with Iranian officials in Tehran, as had been decided on in September.

"We agreed that there would be a high-level discussion, and this has not materialised yet," Grossi told reporters in Washington. "I hope that this will be done soon."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/exclusive-interview-with-palki-india-has-more-potential-than-china-for-ties-with-iran-says-former-iranian-president-mahmoud-ahmadinejad-402649">Also read |&nbsp;Exclusive: India has more potential than China for ties with Iran: Former Iranian prez Mahmoud Ahmadinejad</a>

The agreement between Iran and world powers to find a long-term solution to the now two-decade-old crisis over its controversial nuclear programme has been moribund since former US President Donald Trump walked out of the deal in May 2018 and imposed sweeping sanctions.

His successor Joe Biden has said he is ready to re-enter the agreement, so long as Iran meets key preconditions including full compliance with the deal whose terms it has repeatedly violated by ramping up nuclear activities since the US left the pact.

But the Vienna-based talks through intermediaries made little headway, before being interrupted by the election of hardliner Ebrahim Raisi as Iran's president and suspended for the last four months. 
&nbsp;

The International Atomic Energy Agency has warned against Iranian expansion of uranium beyond the highly enriched threshold of 20 per cent purity. The UN nuclear watchdog said it will ''increase the frequency and intensity of its safeguards activities'' at the Natanz uranium enrichment facility 250 km (155 miles) south of the Iranian capital Tehran.

The International Atomic Energy Agency has warned against Iranian expansion of uranium beyond the highly enriched threshold of 20 per cent purity. The UN nuclear watchdog said it will ''increase the frequency and intensity of its safeguards activities'' at the Natanz uranium enrichment facility 250 km (155 miles) south of the Iranian capital Tehran. Earlier, Iran was already enriching its uranium to 60 per cent at the Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant (PFEP). The 20 per cent addition will push it closer to the weapons-grade category which lies at 90 per cent. The West has slammed the enrichment process as it is irreversible. However, since this time the new activity does not involve keeping the product, it will not immediately accelerate Iran's production of uranium enriched to close to weapons-grade. Also read | Russia calls on US to 'be more active' to revive Iran nuclear deal IAEA chief Raffael Gross said he was still waiting for a "high level" discussion with Iranian officials in Tehran, as had been decided on in September. "We agreed that there would be a high-level discussion, and this has not materialised yet," Grossi told reporters in Washington. "I hope that this will be done soon." Also read | Exclusive: India has more potential than China for ties with Iran: Former Iranian prez Mahmoud Ahmadinejad The agreement between Iran and world powers to find a long-term solution to the now two-decade-old crisis over its controversial nuclear programme has been moribund since former US President Donald Trump walked out of the deal in May 2018 and imposed sweeping sanctions. His successor Joe Biden has said he is ready to re-enter the agreement, so long as Iran meets key preconditions including full compliance with the deal whose terms it has repeatedly violated by ramping up nuclear activities since the US left the pact. But the Vienna-based talks through intermediaries made little headway, before being interrupted by the election of hardliner Ebrahim Raisi as Iran's president and suspended for the last four months.

'Dangerously close to weapons-grade': IAEA warns against Iranian expansion of uranium

The United States on Monday denounced Iran's plan&nbsp;to step up uranium enrichment as "nuclear extortion,"&nbsp;breaching a 2015 nuclear pact with major powers and possibly complicating efforts by US&nbsp;President-elect Joe Biden to rejoin the deal.

US State Department said, "Iran enriching uranium to 20 per cent at Fordow is a clear attempt to increase its campaign of nuclear extortion, an attempt that will continue to fail."

"We have confidence that the IAEA will monitor and report on any new Iranian nuclear activities," the spokesperson said, referring to the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-has-started-enriching-uranium-to-20-confirms-iaea-354461">Iran has started enriching uranium to 20%, confirms IAEA</a>

The enrichment decision,&nbsp;Iran's latest contravention of the accord, coincides with increasing tensions between&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;and the United States in the last days of President Donald Trump's administration.

Tehran started violating the accord in 2019 in a step-by-step response to Trump's withdrawal from it in 2018 and the reimposition of US&nbsp;sanctions lifted under the deal.

The agreement's main aim was to extend the time&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;would need to produce enough fissile material for a nuclear bomb, if it chose to, to at least a year from roughly two to three months. It also lifted international sanctions against Tehran.

"A few minutes ago, the process of producing 20 per cent&nbsp;enriched uranium has started in Fordow enrichment complex," government spokesman Ali Rabiei told&nbsp;Iranian state media.

The UN watchdog confirmed that Iran stepped up the enrichment at its underground Fordow facility in Tehran's biggest breach yet of a 2015 nuclear deal negotiated under former President Barack Obama.

Trump withdrew from the deal and reimposed crippling sanctions in violation of the accord.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said after the enrichment announcement that his country would return to full compliance if all countries do,&nbsp;a signal to Biden to remove sanctions.

Benjamin Netanyahu, prime minister of&nbsp;Iran's arch-foe Israel, said the move was aimed at developing nuclear weapons and Israel would never allow Tehran to build them.

Tehran's move could hinder efforts to salvage the nuclear pact as its breaches have increasingly worried some of the deal's other parties, which have urged&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;to act responsibly.

However, it could also be accumulating bargaining chips that could be negotiated away in talks with the Biden administration.

Iran&nbsp;had earlier breached the deal's 3.67&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;limit on the purity to which it can enrich uranium, but it had only gone up to 4.5 per cent&nbsp;so far, well short of the 20&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;level and of the 90&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;that is weapons-grade.

US&nbsp;intelligence agencies and the IAEA believe&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;had a secret, coordinated nuclear weapons programme that it halted in 2003.&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;denies ever having had one.

The United States on Monday denounced Iran's plan to step up uranium enrichment as "nuclear extortion," breaching a 2015 nuclear pact with major powers and possibly complicating efforts by US President-elect Joe Biden to rejoin the deal.

The United States on Monday denounced Iran's plan to step up uranium enrichment as "nuclear extortion," breaching a 2015 nuclear pact with major powers and possibly complicating efforts by US President-elect Joe Biden to rejoin the deal. US State Department said, "Iran enriching uranium to 20 per cent at Fordow is a clear attempt to increase its campaign of nuclear extortion, an attempt that will continue to fail." "We have confidence that the IAEA will monitor and report on any new Iranian nuclear activities," the spokesperson said, referring to the International Atomic Energy Agency. Also read: Iran has started enriching uranium to 20%, confirms IAEA The enrichment decision, Iran's latest contravention of the accord, coincides with increasing tensions between Iran and the United States in the last days of President Donald Trump's administration. Tehran started violating the accord in 2019 in a step-by-step response to Trump's withdrawal from it in 2018 and the reimposition of US sanctions lifted under the deal. The agreement's main aim was to extend the time Iran would need to produce enough fissile material for a nuclear bomb, if it chose to, to at least a year from roughly two to three months. It also lifted international sanctions against Tehran. "A few minutes ago, the process of producing 20 per cent enriched uranium has started in Fordow enrichment complex," government spokesman Ali Rabiei told Iranian state media. The UN watchdog confirmed that Iran stepped up the enrichment at its underground Fordow facility in Tehran's biggest breach yet of a 2015 nuclear deal negotiated under former President Barack Obama. Trump withdrew from the deal and reimposed crippling sanctions in violation of the accord. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said after the enrichment announcement that his country would return to full compliance if all countries do, a signal to Biden to remove sanctions. Benjamin Netanyahu, prime minister of Iran's arch-foe Israel, said the move was aimed at developing nuclear weapons and Israel would never allow Tehran to build them. Tehran's move could hinder efforts to salvage the nuclear pact as its breaches have increasingly worried some of the deal's other parties, which have urged Iran to act responsibly. However, it could also be accumulating bargaining chips that could be negotiated away in talks with the Biden administration. Iran had earlier breached the deal's 3.67 per cent limit on the purity to which it can enrich uranium, but it had only gone up to 4.5 per cent so far, well short of the 20 per cent level and of the 90 per cent that is weapons-grade. US intelligence agencies and the IAEA believe Iran had a secret, coordinated nuclear weapons programme that it halted in 2003. Iran denies ever having had one.

'Nuclear extortion': US denounces Iran's plan to step up uranium enrichment

Iran plans to install hundreds more advanced uranium-enriching centrifuges at an underground plant in breach of its deal with major powers, a U.N. nuclear watchdog report showed on Friday, a move that will raise pressure on U.S. President-elect Joe Biden.

The confidential International Atomic Energy Agency report obtained by Reuters said Iran plans to install three more cascades, or clusters, of advanced IR-2m centrifuges in the underground plant at Natanz, which was apparently built to withstand aerial bombardment.

Iran’s nuclear deal with major powers says Tehran can only use first-generation IR-1 centrifuges, which are less efficient, at the underground plant and that those are the only machines with which Iran may accumulate enriched uranium.

Iran recently moved one cascade of 174 IR-2m machines underground at Natanz and is enriching with it. It already planned to install two more cascades of other advanced models there, in addition to the 5,060 IR-1 machines that have been enriching for years in the plant built for more than 50,000.

“In a letter dated 2 December 2020, Iran informed the Agency that the operator of the Fuel Enrichment Plant (FEP) at Natanz ‘intends to start installation of three cascades of IR-2m centrifuge machines’ at FEP,” the IAEA’s report to its member states said.

Iran has breached many of the deal’s core restrictions on its nuclear activities in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the agreement and his reimposition of crippling economic sanctions. Tehran says its breaches can quickly be reversed if Washington’s moves are undone.

Biden, who takes office on Jan. 20, has said he will bring the United States back into the deal if Iran resumes full compliance with its nuclear restrictions. That raises the prospect of a standoff over who should move first.

<h3>FASTER ENRICHMENT</h3>

Iran transferred the already-operating cascade of IR-2ms underground from an above-ground plant at Natanz where only a handful of those machines remain, the IAEA has said. The extra cascades would therefore have to involve some of the hundreds of IR-2m machines removed and put into storage under the 2015 deal.

While the first cascade did not increase Iran’s production of enriched uranium because it was already enriching above ground, the extra cascades would.

The IAEA’s last quarterly report on Iran last month showed Tehran had stockpiled 12 times the 202.8 kg of enriched uranium it is allowed to have under the deal, more than 2.4 tonnes.

That is still a fraction of the more than eight tonnes it had before the landmark 2015 deal, and it has not enriched uranium to a purity of more than 4.5% since then. It achieved 20% before 2015, closer to the 90% of weapons-grade uranium.

U.S. intelligence agencies and the IAEA believe Iran had a coordinated, clandestine nuclear weapons programme that it halted in 2003, the year its secret construction of Natanz was revealed by an opposition group in exile.

The deal is aimed at keeping Iran at arm’s length from being able to produce a nuclear bomb. It says it has never tried to.

Iran plans to install hundreds more advanced uranium-enriching centrifuges at an underground plant in breach of its deal with major powers, a U.N. nuclear watchdog report showed on Friday, a move that will raise pressure on U.

Iran plans to install hundreds more advanced uranium-enriching centrifuges at an underground plant in breach of its deal with major powers, a U.N. nuclear watchdog report showed on Friday, a move that will raise pressure on U.S. President-elect Joe Biden. The confidential International Atomic Energy Agency report obtained by Reuters said Iran plans to install three more cascades, or clusters, of advanced IR-2m centrifuges in the underground plant at Natanz, which was apparently built to withstand aerial bombardment. Iran’s nuclear deal with major powers says Tehran can only use first-generation IR-1 centrifuges, which are less efficient, at the underground plant and that those are the only machines with which Iran may accumulate enriched uranium. Iran recently moved one cascade of 174 IR-2m machines underground at Natanz and is enriching with it. It already planned to install two more cascades of other advanced models there, in addition to the 5,060 IR-1 machines that have been enriching for years in the plant built for more than 50,000. “In a letter dated 2 December 2020, Iran informed the Agency that the operator of the Fuel Enrichment Plant (FEP) at Natanz ‘intends to start installation of three cascades of IR-2m centrifuge machines’ at FEP,” the IAEA’s report to its member states said. Iran has breached many of the deal’s core restrictions on its nuclear activities in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the agreement and his reimposition of crippling economic sanctions. Tehran says its breaches can quickly be reversed if Washington’s moves are undone. Biden, who takes office on Jan. 20, has said he will bring the United States back into the deal if Iran resumes full compliance with its nuclear restrictions. That raises the prospect of a standoff over who should move first. FASTER ENRICHMENT Iran transferred the already-operating cascade of IR-2ms underground from an above-ground plant at Natanz where only a handful of those machines remain, the IAEA has said. The extra cascades would therefore have to involve some of the hundreds of IR-2m machines removed and put into storage under the 2015 deal. While the first cascade did not increase Iran’s production of enriched uranium because it was already enriching above ground, the extra cascades would. The IAEA’s last quarterly report on Iran last month showed Tehran had stockpiled 12 times the 202.8 kg of enriched uranium it is allowed to have under the deal, more than 2.4 tonnes. That is still a fraction of the more than eight tonnes it had before the landmark 2015 deal, and it has not enriched uranium to a purity of more than 4.5% since then. It achieved 20% before 2015, closer to the 90% of weapons-grade uranium. U.S. intelligence agencies and the IAEA believe Iran had a coordinated, clandestine nuclear weapons programme that it halted in 2003, the year its secret construction of Natanz was revealed by an opposition group in exile. The deal is aimed at keeping Iran at arm’s length from being able to produce a nuclear bomb. It says it has never tried to.

Iran tells IAEA it will accelerate underground uranium enrichment

Iran to raise uranium enrichment limit from 3.6% to 5%

UK intercepted the super oil tanker at Gibraltar. Gibraltar is a UK territory in Spain's southern tip. Iran says the seizure of grace 1 is illegal. Iran calls the act a 'Form of Piracy'. Watch this video to know more.

UK detains oil tanker headed to Syria

Iraqi PM orders Iran-allied militias to be reined in. Decree aimed at curbing autonomy of shi'ite militants. This is the move to fully integrate militias into Iraqi forces. Local militias have time till 31 July to be integrated. Watch this video to know more.

Iraq Alarmed By Iran Uranium Enrichment