France, Germany, Britain, and the United States jointly condemned Iran's recent escalation in the production rate of highly enriched uranium, reaching levels of up to 60% purity, closely approaching the threshold used for nuclear weapons fuel. In a collective statement, the allies expressed concern over Iran's actions, highlighting the lack of credible civilian justification for such production.
The statement did not specify potential consequences for Iran but highlighted a commitment to finding a diplomatic solution to the ongoing dispute regarding Tehran's nuclear program. The allies called for a reversal of the production increase, characterizing Iran's decisions as "reckless behavior in a tense regional context."
The International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N. nuclear watchdog, reported on Tuesday that Iran had reversed a months-long slowdown in the production rate of highly enriched uranium up to 60% purity. The joint statement from the allies denounced this action, describing it as a concerning escalation of Iran's nuclear program.
Notably, since Israel's offensive against Gaza's ruling Hamas militants, Iran-backed proxies have intensified attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and on U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria, heightening tensions in the region. Israel initiated its operation in response to Hamas' October 7 incursion into Israel.
In response to the IAEA report, Iran dismissed it as "nothing new" and asserted that it was operating its nuclear program "according to the rules." According to the IAEA's theoretical definition, Iran already possesses enough uranium of 60% purity, which, if enriched to 90%, could potentially be used to create three nuclear bombs.
While the joint statement voiced condemnation, it underlined that Britain, France, and Germany remain parties to the 2015 deal designed to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. The situation adds to the complexities of diplomatic efforts to address concerns surrounding Iran's nuclear activities.
