Iran Announces Additional Pushback Against 2015 Nuclear Deal

Iran announced Monday that it is doubling the number of advanced centrifuges it operates in violation of the 2015 nuclear agreement deal negotiated between it and the P5+1 countries (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany). The head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, Ali Akbar Salehi, told state television that 30 existing IR-6 centrifuges already in operation would now be joined by 30 additional IR-6 centrifuges. The IR-6 produces enriched uranium 10 times as fast as the IR-1s that are allowed, up to a limit of 5,060 centrifuges, under the nuclear deal. The US unilaterally withdrew from the accord and reimposed sanctions on Iran more than a year ago, prompting the Islamic Republic to gradually scale back its commitments. Iran also announced that it is developing a prototype – called the IR-9 – that is 50 times faster than those allowed by the deal. Other terms that Iran no longer keeps include limitations on its stockpile size and level of enrichment.