Iranian state media is highlighting Tehran’s decision to activate centrifuges linked to its nuclear program. Iran also says it wants to expand enrichment capacity.
Both of these moves appear to be about sending a message to the West. Iran has already enriched a lot of uranium in recent years. Its real hurdle to nuclear weaponization is to test a bomb and put it on a missile that can carry it.
The regime is moving in that direction, but it’s making more noise about the enrichment program than the weaponization.
“Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Qalibaf says the Islamic Republic began activating its advanced centrifuges in response to a politically motivated measure by the International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors on the country’s peaceful nuclear program,” Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), Iran’s official news agency, reported Sunday.
“The actions of the three European states and the US, which are politically motivated and detrimental, resulted in an unjust resolution regarding Iran’s peaceful nuclear program,” the report said. “The speaker underlined that the three European countries and the US are using Iran’s peaceful nuclear activities as an excuse to advance their illegitimate measures, undermining the credibility and independence of the IAEA and disrupting the constructive collaboration between Iran and the agency.”
“Iran will significantly accelerate its uranium enrichment activities by installing thousands of new advanced centrifuges over the next few months, following the Western-backed censure at the International Atomic Energy Agency,” IRNA reported.
Next steps in Iran's nuclear program
Iran is now positioning itself to enrich more uranium and prepare for the next steps in its nuclear program. This would likely happen as US President-elect Donald Trump takes office on January 20.
“However, what will happen on the ground is that in the next 4 to 6 months, with the activation of thousands of new centrifuge machines, the speed of enrichment will increase, new infrastructures will be established, and some other actions will take place,” Kamalvandi said.
“Thus, the Western parties that have been trying to push back Iran's nuclear program will face a different reality: a program that is significantly broader and more advanced, both quantitatively and qualitatively, which will certainly not bring them any joy,” he noted.