Iran ramps up uranium enrichment, seizes tanker as tensions rise with US

Iran is currently enriching its uranium stockpile to around 4.5%, which is above the ceiling of 3.67% imposed by the 2015 pact with the world powers, but far from the 90% considered to be of quality military. Iran has continuously denied its intention to assemble nuclear weapons.

The country has informed the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of its intention to enrich uranium to 20%, IAEA spokesman Fredrik Dahl told CNN on Friday. On Monday morning, government spokesman Ali Rabiei said he had launched the enrichment process “a few hours ago” at the Fordow site, noting that the first uranium enriched in UF6 would be produced within a few hours, IRNA said. .

The US State Department has condemned both the seizure of tankers and Iran’s resumption of uranium enrichment, a spokesperson noting that “Iran’s enrichment program was initially developed in secret, including at Fordow, and Iran has kept extensive archival records of its former nuclear weapons program, along with many of the key personnel who led that program. ”

“The United States and the rest of the international community will assess Iran’s actions in light of this provocative story,” the spokesperson said.

A challenge from Iran

“The law obliges the Iranian Atomic Energy Organization to produce at least 120 kg of uranium enriched at 20% per year and to store it inside the country”, the Mehr news agency reported.

Rouhani, whose government signed the 2015 deal with the United States and other world powers, opposed last month’s bill, arguing it would undermine diplomacy.

The Iranian government has repeatedly called on the United States to reinstate the deal Trump withdrew in 2018.

Biden’s national security adviser Jake Sullivan told CNN on Sunday that the new US administration would return to the pact if Iran came back to respect it.

Sullivan also said the Biden administration would then seek a “follow-up negotiation” on Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities.

“Our view is that Iran’s ballistic missiles and ballistic missile program must be on the table as part of this follow-up negotiation,” Sullivan said, adding that the Biden administration would seek to bring in some of the regional partners from Iran to the table.

Seized tanker

Meanwhile, on Monday, news agencies and the firm Dryad Global reported that Iran had seized a chemical tanker bearing the South Korean flag.

“Reports indicate that the South Korean-flagged chemical tanker HANKUK CHEMI (IMO: 9232369) was likely detained by Iranian forces in the Strait of Hormuz while arriving in Fujairah,” said Dryad Global.

South Korea sent its anti-piracy unit Cheonghae to the Strait of Hormuz in response, its defense ministry said, adding that there were 20 crew members on board, including five South Koreans.

“A ship that was sailing near the Arabian Sea in the waters of Hormuz on January 4 afternoon is heading for Iranian waters at the request of the Iranian authorities,” the ministry said in a statement.

The ministry and the South Korean embassy have asked Iranian authorities to confirm the safety of the crew and release the ship as soon as possible.

The UKMTO (United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations), part of the British Royal Navy, said that an “interaction occurred” in the Strait of Hormuz between a merchant vessel and the Iranian authorities, pushing the vessel to effect “a modification of course of Iranian territory. waters.”

Iran said the ship was seized to “create environmental and chemical pollution in the Persian Gulf,” the semi-official Tasnim news agency said. The ship was seized by the Navy of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, according to the Mehr news agency.

CNN has contacted the South Korean government for comment.

United States maintains aircraft carrier in region

The decision overturned Miller’s order last week to send the aircraft carrier out of the region and home, in part, to send a de-escalation signal to Iran amid mounting tensions between Washington and Tehran.

A defense official said Miller’s idea of ​​de-escalation was not adopted as a formal and approved policy. It took the senior commanders by surprise, multiple defense sources said. The US central command wanted the carrier to stay in the region due to Iran’s deterrence policy.

The White House and the NSC did not immediately respond to CNN’s request for comment on Monday.

On Sunday Miller announced that the USS Nimitz would remain in place due to alleged Iranian threats “against President Trump and other US government officials.” Miller said in a statement that he “ordered the USS Nimitz to stop its routine redeployment.” The aircraft carrier “will now remain stationed in the US Central Command area of ​​operations,” Miller added.

“No one should doubt the determination of the United States of America,” he said.