Spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Behrouz Kamalvandi holds a news conference at Arak Heavy Water Reactor Facility in Khondab, Iran, June 17, 2019. IMAGE: PRESS TV
Iran will surpass the uranium stockpile limit set under the nuclear deal from June 27, Behrouz Kamalvandi, a spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, announced at the Arak Heavy Water Reactor Facility on June 17.
“Today the countdown to pass the 300 kilograms reserve of enriched uranium has started and in 10 days time we will pass this limit,” Kamalvandi said, according to Press TV. “This is based on the Articles 26 and 36 of the [nuclear deal], and will be reversed once other parties live up to their commitments.”
Kamalvandi said that Iran may also increase uranium enrichment to up to 20% for use in local reactors. The 2015 nuclear accord caps the level of purity to which Iran can enrich uranium at 3.67%.
“One scenario is that we will define 3.67 for the Bushehr power station, which needs 5% [enriched uranium] or if we define for the needs of the Tehran Research Reactor, it will be 20 percent. Various scenarios have been envisaged,” Kamalvandi stressed.
In May, Iran scaled back some commitments under the deal. Then, it warned that in 60 days it would resume refining uranium to a higher fissile degree if Europe failed to shield its trade from US sanctions.
