MP reveals Iran’s next step: Launching metal uranium factory
TEHRAN— In an interview with the Young Journalists Club news agency on Sunday, Abolfazl Amouei, spokesman for the parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, revealed that the next big step of Iran’s master plan is to develop its peaceful nuclear activities.
Stating that the parliamentary law on Strategic Action for Lifting Sanctions has changed the approach of Western countries in putting pressure on Iran, he said that Iran’s next big step has been drawn within the framework of the law, and it is to launch a metal uranium factory in Isfahan.
“During our recent visit to the Isfahan nuclear industry complex, we observed the process of construction and operation of this plant. Effective steps have been taken, which is in its final stages, and we hope that the metal uranium plant will open in due course,” the MP said.
Amouei stated that the Islamic Republic is currently implementing the parliamentary law on Strategic Action and if the Americans don’t change their policies in practice and stick to the policy of maximum pressure, Iran will not return to its JCPOA obligations unless the exact signs of change are seen.
Reiterating Tehran’s position, he said, “There will be no change in Iran's nuclear program without the lifting of sanctions and careful verification.”
Noting that enriching uranium to up to 60% is for the purpose of obtaining molybdenum for radiopharmaceuticals, he said that the country needed this level of enrichment, as it was predicted in the aforementioned law.
The senior MP noted that according to the timetable predicted in the law, the optimization of the Arak reactor is in progress as well.
Amouei said that an interaction has taken place between the Islamic Republic and the International Atomic Energy Agency, in which the agency has no access to Iran’s nuclear facilities based on the protocols, but has kept the cameras monitoring the operations. However, he said, Iran will not provide information to the IAEA inspectors on a quarterly basis unless an agreement is reached and that will be dependent on the Europeans to stop pressure on Iran.
Iran began enriching uranium to 60% purity right after the Israeli Mossad spy agency conducted an act of sabotage on the Natanz nuclear facility on April 13.
SA/PA