By Tyler Durden
Iran on Friday has announced its latest nuclear fait accompli, saying that it’s obtained for the first time ever 60% enriched uranium overnight. This marks the highest level of purity the Islamic Republic has ever enriched to, and has no doubt put the US and European countries negotiating in Tehran on edge.
Particularly Israel has warned it will take action to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons capability, which requires 90% enrichment, which Iranian leaders this week have warned is indeed obtainable “if we wanted to” – according to the latest remarks from President Hassan Rouhani.
Tehran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf made the Friday announcement in a Tweet, writing, “I am proud to announce that at 00:40 last night, and on the night of the pilgrimage of Sayyid al-Shuhada, young and pious Iranian scientists were able to obtain a product of 60% enriched uranium.”
Qalibaf added: “Congratulations to the brave people of Islamic Iran on this success.”
The Islamic Republic said this is the necessary response to Sunday Natanz nuclear facility sabotage attack, which has been widely blamed on Israel. An Israeli intelligence official also told The New York Times that the Jewish state was indeed behind it.
It appears also part of Iran’s latest efforts to pile on the leverage for Washington to drop Trump-era crippling sanctions on the country immediately if the US hopes to restore the JCPOA nuclear deal.
An apparent response to @SecBlinken âs remark yesterday in response to a question (about Natanz explosion, Vienna talks, and 60% enrichment) that âIt remains to be seen whether Iran has that same seriousness of purpose (as the U.S.)â https://t.co/Mop9FyVMO9
— Hooman Majd (@hmajd) April 15, 2021
Iran is now warning that it doesn’t plan to let nuclear negotiations “drag on” and has threatened to cut talks short if they are “not constructive”.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei weighed in on this note with forceful words on Wednesday, saying,  “The talks shouldnât become talks of attrition,” and that they “shouldnât be in a way that parties drag on and prolong the talks. This is harmful to the country.”
