Iran threatens nuclear escalation after UN watchdog finds it in breach of obligations
TEHRAN — Iran has warned it will ramp up its nuclear activities after the United Nations nuclear watchdog's 35-member board of governors adopted a resolution Thursday declaring it in breach of its non-proliferation obligations.
Tehran retaliated by announcing the launch of a new uranium enrichment center and the installation of advanced centrifuges – an escalatory move likely to complicate nuclear talks with the United States set to resume this weekend.
Nations attending the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) board meeting in Vienna voted on the resolution, with 19 in favor, 3 against and 11 abstentions, Reuters reported.
The IAEA has previously accused Iran of non-cooperation but Thursday's move marks an official finding of non-compliance and raises the prospect of escalating the issue to the UN Security Council.
The resolution was tabled by European countries and the US after a May 31 IAEA report found Iran to be non-compliant in its nuclear duties, including failing to answer questions on uranium particles found in undeclared sites in the country, and its stockpiling of uranium enriched to nearly weapons grade. Iran says the IAEA report was politicized.
Uranium is a nuclear fuel that, when highly enriched, can be used to make a bomb. Iran maintains that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.Tehran condemned the US, the United Kingdom, France and Germany for tabling the resolution and said it has 'no option but to respond.'A day ahead of the vote, a senior Iranian official told CNN that 'Iran intends to launch a series of retaliatory nuclear measures as soon as the resolution is adopted at the IAEA.''These measures include scaling back cooperation with the agency and imposing certain restrictions, activating advanced and new-generation centrifuges, and removing monitoring cameras from the Isfahan facility,' the official said.Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on X last week: 'Mark my words, as Europe ponders another major strategic mistake: Iran will react strongly against any violation of its rights.'In 2022, the IAEA censured Iran over uranium particles found at the undeclared sites. Iran also dismissed that motion as 'politicized,' and responded by removing surveillance cameras from key sites – depriving negotiators of up-to-date information on its enrichment program.The IAEA board resolution comes as Tehran and Washington are in the midst of complicated negotiations over Iran's nuclear program.The two nations will hold indirect talks in the Omani capital, Muscat, on Sunday for the sixth time, Oman's Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said on X Thursday. Despite multiple rounds of negotiations over a new nuclear deal, a major sticking point remains: Iran's insistence on its right to enrich uranium.Trump has said he's grown less confident in being able to strike a deal with Iran, saying in a new interview that Tehran could be 'delaying' striking an agreement.'I'm getting more and more less confident about it. They seem to be delaying, and I think that's a shame, but I'm less confident now than I would have been a couple of months ago,' Trump said in an interview with a New York Post podcast that was released on Wednesday.Regional tensions have escalated significantly ahead of the next round of talks.On Wednesday night, the US State and Defense departments made efforts to arrange the departure of non-essential personnel from locations around the Middle East, according to US officials and sources familiar with the efforts. It's not clear what caused the change in posture, but a defense official said US Central Command is monitoring 'developing tension in the Middle East.'Trump said the personnel are being moved out 'because it could be a dangerous place, and we'll see what happens. But they have been or we've given notice to move out, and we'll see what happens.'On Thursday, the US embassy in Jerusalem also issued a security alert restricting US government staff and their families from traveling outside of Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Be'er Sheva until further notice. — CNN
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