Iran warns Europe against exploiting IAEA report for political gain, vows retaliation

Iran will retaliate if European countries "exploit" for political purposes a report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) stating that the country has accelerated its production of highly enriched uranium, Tehran warned Sunday.

The country has further accelerated its rate of highly enriched uranium production, according to a confidential IAEA report deemed "political" by Iran. The U.N.'s nuclear watchdog noted a significant increase in uranium enriched to 60%, close to the 90% needed to make a nuclear weapon, according to an interim assessment reviewed by AFP.

France, the United Kingdom, and Germany are, with Russia and China, members of a nuclear agreement concluded with Iran in 2015, from which the United States unilaterally withdrew three years later during Donald Trump's first term. The IAEA will hold a Board of Governors meeting from June 9 to 13 in Vienna, Austria, an important quarterly meeting during which Iran's nuclear activities will be reviewed.

France, the United Kingdom, and Germany have threatened in recent weeks to trigger a mechanism in the 2015 agreement that allows for the re-imposition of U.N. sanctions if Iran does not meet its commitments.

"Iran will respond to any inappropriate actions by the European parties," declared Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi during a Saturday call with IAEA chief Rafael Grossi.

Diplomatic shuttle

Araghchi called on the IAEA to prevent "some parties from exploiting" the report "to advance their political goals" against Iran, according to remarks reported Sunday by Iranian diplomacy. According to the IAEA report, Iran's total enriched uranium now exceeds the limit allowed by the 2015 agreement by 45 times, amounting to 9,247.6 kg. This report was released as Washington and Tehran have been holding discussions for several weeks to try to find a new agreement and halt the escalation.

On Saturday, Iran said it had received "elements" of a U.S. proposal after five rounds of negotiations mediated by Oman and announced on X through its foreign minister that it would respond appropriately.

Western countries, led by the United States, and Israel, Iran's sworn enemy and considered by experts to be the only nuclear power in the Middle East, suspect Tehran of wanting to acquire nuclear weapons. Iran denies having such military ambitions but insists on its right to civilian nuclear power, notably for energy, under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), of which it is a signatory.

The country is the only non-nuclear weapons state to enrich uranium at a high level (60%), far beyond the 3.67% limit set by the 2015 agreement, according to the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog.