Iran plans to install around 6,000 new centrifuges to enrich Uranium

The UN nuclear agency has confirmed that Iran plans to install around 6,000 new centrifuges to enrich uranium, according to a report seen by AFP on Friday.

"Iran informed the Agency that it intended to feed" around 6,000 centrifuges at its sites in Fordo and Natanz to enrich uranium to up to five percent, higher than the 3.67 percent limit Tehran had agreed to in 2015 in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Iran's announcement follows a resolution passed by the IAEA Board of Governors, criticizing Iran for insufficient cooperation with the agency. Tehran has justified the expansion as a response to what it perceives as unjustified political pressure from Western powers.

The new centrifuges include advanced models, capable of more efficient enrichment, which raises concerns among JCPOA signatories regarding the potential for weapons-grade uranium production.

Western nations, particularly the UK, France, and Germany, have expressed alarm, noting that Iran's current stockpile of enriched uranium far exceeds JCPOA limits. These nations have warned of a proliferation crisis and urged Iran to return to compliance with international agreements.