CNN
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Iran warned that it would increase its nuclear activity after a 35-man committee of UN nuclear watchdogs adopted a resolution on Thursday declaring a solution, and then violated its non-proliferation obligation.
Tehran retaliated by announcing the launch of a new uranium enrichment centre and the installation of advanced centrifuges.
Countries attending the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Directors in Vienna voted for the resolution, with 19 people in favor and 3 and 11 abstaining against three, Reuters reported.
The IAEA previously denounced Iran for non-cooperation, but Thursday’s move has shown official findings of non-compliance and raised the UN Security Council’s prospects for escalating the issue.
The resolution was presented by European countries and the United States after the May 31 IAEA report found that Iran was noncompliant in its nuclear operations. This failed to answer questions about uranium particles found at undeclared sites in the country, and uranium stockpiles were enriched almost to weapons grade. Iran says the IAEA report has been politicized.
Uranium is a nuclear fuel and can be used to make bombs when highly concentrated. Iran claims its nuclear program is a peaceful purpose.
Tehran denounced the US, UK, France and Germany for expressing the resolution, saying that “there is no choice but to respond.”
A day before the vote, a senior Iranian official told CNN: “Iran will launch a series of retaliatory nuclear measures as soon as the resolution is adopted by the IAEA.”
“These measures include reducing cooperation with agents, certain restrictions will be imposed, activating advanced and new generation centrifuges, and removing surveillance cameras from the Isfahan facility,” the official said.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragut said last week in X:
In 2022, the IAEA criticized Iran more than uranium particles found at undeclared sites. Iran also responded by dismissing the allegations as “politicized” and removing surveillance cameras from major sites.
The IAEA Board resolution is as Tehran and Washington are in the midst of complex negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program.
The two countries will hold indirect talks in Omani’s capital Muscat on the sixth Sunday, Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusadi said on Thursday. Despite multiple rounds of negotiations on a new nuclear deal, there remains a major sticking point. An assertion of Iran’s right to enrich uranium.
Trump said in a new interview that Tehran could “slow down” the deal, saying he’s undermined his confidence in being able to launch a deal with Iran.
“I’m more and more confident about it. They seem to be late. I think that’s a shame, but I’m not more confident than I did a few months ago,” Trump said in an interview with the New York Postpodcast released Wednesday.
Regional tensions escalated well before the next round of talks.
On Wednesday night, the US and the Defense Department made efforts to arrange for the resignation of non-essential staff from locations around the Middle East, according to U.S. officials and sources familiar with the efforts. It is not clear what caused the change in attitude, but defense officials said the US Central Command is monitoring “development of tensions in the Middle East.”
“It could be a dangerous place so staff members are moving to see what happens,” Trump said.
On Thursday, the US Embassy in Jerusalem issued a security alert restricting US government staff and their families from traveling outside Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Biasheba until further notice.