TEHRAN (Iran News)  Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi says Tehran firmly refuses to negotiate over its fundamental right to enrich uranium, declaring it a non-negotiable “red line.”

Speaking at a meeting of the Parliament’s National Security Commission on Sunday, Gharibabadi provided updates on the ongoing talks with the United States on the nuclear issue and the removal of sanctions.

The commission’s spokesperson, Ebrahim Rezaei, conveyed Gharibabadi’s remarks, saying that during the talks in Rome, the two sides had reached a mutual understanding on the broad framework of the negotiations.

Gharibabadi assured lawmakers that Iran’s uranium enrichment is intended solely for peaceful purposes, emphasizing that the country has no intention of pursuing nuclear weapons, he said.

The deputy minister stressed that Iran remains committed to the negotiation process and expects the other side to demonstrate genuine willingness and resist pressure from the Israeli regime, which he claimed is attempting to derail the talks, Rezaei added.

The second round of negotiations between Iran and the United States concluded on Saturday in Rome, with both sides agreeing to reconvene next week.

The Iranian delegation was led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, while the U.S. team was headed by President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff.

Omani Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi once again acted as mediator, shuttling between the two delegations to relay messages.

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According to a report published by Student News Network news agency, Tehran has informed the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of its decision in a letter sent to the United Nations’ atomic watchdog.

It described the move to enrich uranium up to 60% purity as a strong message to the recent anti-Iran resolution passed by IAEA’s Board of Governors.

Iran’s other action included installation of two new IR2M and IR4 cascades at Natanz and Fardow facilities, which have now reached the stage prior to the injection of uranium gas into centrifuges. This means that Iran has practically imitated uranium enrichment by means of the new cascades, and the process will finish within the next few days.

Moreover, Iran has fitted and launched new centrifuges at two empty halls in Fardow and Natanz nuclear sites, in what is deemed as a decisive response to the resolution against the country.

The halls, under Iran’s commitment to the terms of the landmark 2015 nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), had been vacant, but centrifuges have been installed there once again.

The report went on to point to the replacement of IR1 centrifuges at Fordow nuclear facility with IR6 as Iran’s fourth important move against the IAEA resolution, stressing that the measure will increase enrichment at the site by 10 times.

The latest measures are said to be in line with a law approved by the Iranian Parliament to counter unilateral sanctions imposed by the United States, the European Union and the IAEA on Tehran to their full extent.

In December 2020, the Iranian Parliament passed a law – dubbed the Strategic Action Plan to Counter Sanctions – that prompted the Iranian administration to restrict the IAEA’s inspections and accelerate the development of the country’s nuclear program beyond the limits set by the JCPOA.

Iran took five steps in scaling back its obligations, among them abandoning operational limitations on its nuclear industry, including with regard to the capacity and level of uranium enrichment.

All those measures were adopted after informing the IAEA beforehand, with the Agency’s inspectors present on the ground in Iran.

The recent anti-Iran resolution at the UN nuclear agency’s Board of Governors, ratified on Thursday, has criticized Iran for what it called a lack of cooperation with the agency. It was put forward by the United States, Britain, France and Germany, in continuation of their political pressures on Iran. Russia and China voted against the motion.

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Rouhani made the remarks while speaking at an inauguration ceremony unveiling the Defense Ministry plans.

The president reiterated Tehran’s long held position that Iran’s nuclear program is purely for civilian purposes, saying production of nuclear weapons is unacceptable.

“In the issue of defense in our country, we neither need weapons of mass destruction, nor we seek to acquire this weapon, nor do we consider it permissible; this is an explicit fatwa of the Supreme Leader.”

Rouhani said Iran is developing new technologies for domestic use.

He added, “Our nuclear power is not for developing nuclear weapons. The United States and Europe should know this and understand that Iran’s nuclear activity is completely peaceful and our enrichment is for the needs of the country in medical and energy sectors.”

The International Atomic Energy Agency announced on May 13 that based on the samples taken from the Natanz nuclear site, Iran has enriched uranium up to 63%.

Iran decided to enrich uranium to 60 percent purity after Mossad operated an act of sabotage at the Natanz nuclear site.

Abbas Araghchi, the Iranian deputy foreign minister who is leading the Iranian negotiating team in Vienna, announced on April 13 that Iran has sent a letter to the IAEA declaring that the Islamic Republic intends to start enriching uranium up to 60% purity.

On April 14, President Rouhani stated that the 60% enrichment is a response to mischiefs against Iran. “The fact that we have stated that we will operate IR-6 centrifuges in Natanz or we will increase enrichment to 60 percent, this is the answer to your malice. You cannot conspire against the Iranian nation and commit crimes in Natanz. When you commit a crime, we cut your hand.”

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The Russian representative further described Iran’s move as “a result of US decision to sanction removal of LEU from Iran.”

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Gharibabadi said that Iran has been very clear during the process, expressing his deep regret over the US withdrawal and re-imposition of sanctions even on countries which have wanted to abide by their regulations under the UNSC Resolution 2231.

The Iranian envoy further expressed hope that the international community will unite against this bullying behavior and keep the hopes alive for diplomacy and multilateralism.

He also called on Europe to take serious steps to preserve the JCPOA, stressing that Iran will reconsider its actions in reducing JCPOA commitments if the European countries live up to their commitments in relation to financial matters and oil purchases from Iran.

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This is while Washington was the first party which violated the UNSC-endorsed Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) by withdrawing from it in May 2018 and imposing sanctions against Tehran. The International Atomic Energy Agency had confirmed Iran’s compliance with the deal in 15 consecutive reports.

On Monday, IAEA confirmed that Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile exceeded the Nuclear Deal’s limits.

Tehran says its decision to reduce commitments to the deal is its inherent rights under the agreement, citing paragraphs 26 and 36 of the JCPOA.

Zarif tweeted on Monday that Iran has not violated the JCPOA. “We triggered & exhausted para 36 after US withdrawal. We gave E3+2 a few weeks while reserving our right. We finally took action after 60 weeks. As soon as E3 abide by their obligations, we’ll reverse.”

On May 8, exactly a year after the US pulled out from the JCPOA, Iran revealed countermeasures to US’ withdrawal, giving the other remaining parties to the JCPOA 60 days to comply with their commitments, particularly those regarding Iran’s economic interests in the banking and energy sectors, before reducing portions of its own commitments to the agreement stage by stage.

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In response to a question regarding the possibility of sanctioning the EU trade mechanism for Iran (INSTEX) by the United States, Zarif said “that is Europeans’ problem and they have to take care of it themselves.”

There are obligations in the JCPOA that the European side has to abide by them, according to Zarif, adding that the launch of INSTEX is just preliminary step to live up to those commitments.

He criticized the Europeans for taking them about 14 months to operationalize the INSTEX, underlining that operationalization of INSTEX does not make sense to Iran without carrying out other obligations.

The foreign minister added that the Europeans’ actions so far have not been enough, so the Islamic Republic will continue with its previously announced plans.

He added the first phase of Iran’s actions in reducing its JCPOA commitments was related to the stockpile of enriched uranium and the heavy water stockpile which is underway.

The top Iranian diplomat added that the second phase of Iran’s diminishing JCPOA commitments is resuming uranium enrichment above the JCPOA %3.67 limit which will be implemented in the next stage.

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On the anniversary of the US withdrawal from the nuclear deal on May 8, the Iranian president as well as the Supreme National Security Council announced diminished commitments relating to production of low-enriched uranium with a 300-kg limit.

Kamalvandi, who was speaking in Natanz atomic facility on Monday, said that the increase in the rate of the 3.67 enriched uranium has already been reported to the IAEA and is within the normal IAEA executives.

The spokesman added that the actions could have been taken earlier while Iran waited to show its goodwill with its patience.

He declared that Iran is not going to pull out of the JCPOA and is going to act within the framework of the deal.

He made it clear that Iran is not seeking a non-peaceful nuclear program as its abidance by the JCPOA over the past 3 years show.

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“Under the JCPOA, Iran can produce heavy water… and based on the agreement, we have not carried out anything in violation of it,” Larijani said on Saturday.

“Therefore we will carry on with enrichment activity. You can either buy it or not,” he added.

The administration of US President Donald Trump on Friday imposed sanctions on Iran’s export of enriched uranium but at the same time renewed three key waivers that will allow its European allies, Russia and China to cooperate with the Islamic Republic on civil nuclear program.

“Any involvement in transferring enriched uranium out of Iran in exchange for natural uranium will now be exposed to sanctions. The United States has been clear that Iran must stop all proliferation-sensitive activities, including uranium enrichment, and we will not accept actions that support the continuation of such enrichment,” the State Department announced in a statement.

Under the JCPOA, Tehran is limited to keeping 300 kilograms of uranium enriched up to 3.67 percent. As part of the nuclear deal, Iran is allowed to sell any enriched uranium above that threshold on international markets in exchange for natural uranium, with Russia a key player.

The waivers, due to expire Saturday, are extended for 90 days, the State Department statement added.

In a quarterly report released in February, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said Iran continued to comply with the restrictions on its nuclear activities under the JCPOA.

It added that Iran remained within caps on the level to which it can enrich uranium and complied with limitations on its stock of enriched uranium in accordance with the nuclear accord.

Trump withdrew Washington in May 2018 from the landmark Iran nuclear agreement, reached between Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany), and decided to re-impose unilateral sanctions against Tehran.

Under the JCPOA, Iran undertook to put limits on its nuclear program in exchange for the removal of nuclear-related sanctions.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Larijani said certain countries were making efforts to create problems for Iran but reiterated that the Islamic Republic was playing a leading diplomatic role in the international scene.

“We know what they are doing, but we are not like some novice (countries) in the region and we will do nothing … that may lead to further chaos in the region,” the top Iranian parliamentarian said.

They have waged an all-out psychological warfare, piled up economic pressure against the Iranian nation and caused chaos in the international scene, he added, emphasizing that such efforts may bring about certain temporary benefits for them but would undermine their positions in the world.

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Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), said that Iran has enough resources of 20% enriched uranium and also that the country is able to resume its peaceful nuclear activities.

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