Iran: Uranium enrichment acceleration response to Israel's 'nuclear terrorism'

Iran's decision to boost uranium enrichment to 60 per cent was a response to Israel's "nuclear terrorism," three days after an attack on its Natanz nuclear facility, President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday.

"Enabling IR-6 (centrifuges) at Natanz today, or bringing enrichment to 60 per cent: this is the response to your malice," Mr Rouhani said in televised remarks.

"What you did was nuclear terrorism. What we do is legal."

Tehran said it will for the first time begin producing highly enriched uranium – purified to 60 per cent from current levels of 20 per cent – from Wednesday.

This is in response to the sabotage of its Natanz nuclear site on Sunday, which it blamed on Israel.

It said 1,000 new centrifuges will be added to the damaged Natanz facility, where the purified material produced would be used for medical purposes.

Israel has not commented on the latest Iranian accusations, but frequently said it is convinced that Tehran uses its nuclear programme as a cover for military purposes.

At a press conference on Monday with visiting US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu singled out Iran for severe criticism:  "In the Middle East there is no threat that is more serious, more dangerous, more pressing than that posed by the fanatical regime in Iran."

Iran has accused Israel of carrying out a series of covert attacks to undermine its nuclear programme as well as assassinations of its top nuclear scientists.

Serious development 

France said it is co-ordinating a response with world powers, including the US, after Iran said it would begin enriching uranium at 60 per cent.

The French presidency said the Iranian move was a serious development and needed co-ordination with the remaining parties to a 2015 nuclear deal and Washington.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the US took the provocative announcement seriously.

Ms Psaki said it raised questions about “Iran’s seriousness with regard to the nuclear talks” that are scheduled to resume this week in Vienna.

The Vienna talks will involve the remaining parties to the landmark 2015 nuclear accord – Iran, China, Russia, the UK, France, Germany and the EU.

The three EU nations issued a statement Wednesday calling Iran's actions regrettable.

"The increase in Uranium enrichment Iran’s dangerous recent communication is contrary to the constructive spirit and good faith of these discussions,” the statement said.

Negotiations aim to enable a US return to the deal that president Donald Trump abandoned in 2018, prompting Iran to cross the limits imposed on its enrichment activity.

Tensions were running high on Monday when Tehran announced it was suspending all human rights talks with the EU in various fields.

This followed the bloc's decision to blacklist several Iranian security officials, including the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, over a 2019 protest crackdown.