Iran has begun deploying new, advanced centrifuges to enrich uranium, a move it says is a direct response to a resolution by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) calling for greater transparency in its nuclear program, according to a report from Iran International on Sunday.

The report quoted Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who denounced the IAEA’s resolution during a parliamentary session, accusing the United States and European countries of using Iran’s nuclear activities for political leverage.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran’s reciprocal response to this political misuse of the Board of Governors was immediately put into action, and the deployment of a set of new and advanced centrifuges has begun,” Ghalibaf said, according to Iran International.

The IAEA resolution, which received backing from major Western nations, expressed concern over Iran’s failure to address undeclared nuclear sites. It called on Tehran to meet its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Iran, however, dismissed the resolution as politically driven, accusing the IAEA of undermining trust through its actions.

On Saturday, France, Germany, the United States, and the United Kingdom issued a joint statement condemning Iran’s response to the resolution, raising doubts about the peaceful nature of its nuclear developments.

The IAEA’s resolution was issued despite UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi acknowledging that Iran had taken a “concrete step” to limit its uranium stockpile.

In response, Iran proposed halting the increase of its uranium stockpile enriched to 60% purity—just below the 90% threshold for weapons-grade material—provided that Western nations abandon efforts to push through the IAEA resolution.

The resolution seeks to pressure Iran into negotiating new limitations on its nuclear program after the collapse of the 2015 nuclear deal, which officially expires in October 2025, though its provisions have been largely disregarded since the United States withdrew from it in 2018 under President Donald Trump.

The Biden administration’s attempts to revive the 2015 deal failed, with negotiations reaching an impasse in September 2023 after Iran rejected a European Union proposal to restore the agreement.

{Matzav.com}