Iran to Increase Uranium Enrichment Level to 5% at Fordow Site Wednesday - AEOI

By Staff, Agencies

Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran [AEOI] Ali Akbar Salehi said that the process of uranium enrichment to 5% level will be carried out in the presence of the IAEA inspectors at the Fordow site as of tomorrow.

Speaking on Tuesday evening, hours after the Iranian President Hassan Rouhani ordered the AEOI to start gas injection into UF6 centrifuges at the Fordow enrichment facility tomorrow under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency [IAEA], Salehi said that the level of uranium enrichment will increase to 5% at Fordow in the presence of the IAEA inspectors on Wednesday.

He said that there are as many as 1,044 centrifuges installed at Fordow enrichment facility, some of which will become operational again tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Salehi said that it had been decided that there will not be [20%] uranium enrichment at Fordow for the time being but the production of stable isotopes will be carried out there.

Salehi added that there is enough 20% enriched uranium stored in the country, while adding that in accordance with the JCPOA 20% enriched uranium could be produced again at the site if the Tehran reactor runs out of fuel.

He further noted that the action tomorrow will be done at the behest of Rouhani, adding the IAEA had been informed earlier today about the decision in a letter.

Salehi concluded that 5% uranium enrichment and the production of stable isotopes will be done at Fordow tomorrow in the presence of IAEA inspectors.