Nuclear chief:

Iran can resume 20% uranium enrichment in 4 days

TEHRAN (defapress) – Iran’s nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi warned Sun. that Tehran needs only four days to ramp up its uranium enrichment to 20% at Fordow plant if US quits the nuclear deal.

News ID: 69624

Date: 09 April 2018 - 11:01

Speaking to reporters on Sunday following a session at the Parliament’s Energy Commission, head of Atomic Energy Organization of Iran highlighted the ‘reversibility’ of Iran's JCPOA commitments, adding “throughout the course of nuclear negotiations, we always had it in mind that if the other side violated their end of the deal, we would be able to think about the necessary preparations in order to reverse [the measures we undertook under the JCPOA].”

He went on to add that such preparations have already been made; “I cannot go into details,” he said. “If we receive an order from the Establishment’s senior officials to resume uranium enrichment to 20 percent, we only need four days to ramp up 20 percent enrichment at Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant.”

He noted that such a capability carries a certain ‘message’ in itself.

“Our ability for reversal in other areas will be far greater than before,” he added. “We are hoping that there will be no need for that, but if there is, it will be a scientific challenge.”

The comments by Salehi on Sunday followed the looming May deadline for Trump’s decision to extend the 2015 nuclear deal while having made repeated threats to walk away from the agreement.