The 17 kilograms of 20-percent-enriched uranium is therefore a significant increase on Iran’s goals, although its enrichment is still not near the 90-percent level required for weapons-grade uranium.
Western leaders have criticized Iran’s nuclear activities, especially former US president Donald Trump, who, in 2018, withdrew the US from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the nuclear deal signed in 2015.
President Joe Biden has said he hopes the US can return to the deal, which limits Iran’s uranium enrichment to the 3.67-percent level in return for sanctions relief from the US and the European signatories of the agreement.
However, Biden wants Iran to show compliance with the JCPOA before easing US sanctions, while Iran is pushing for sanctions relief before it adheres to the accord, effectively leaving the two nations at a standstill.
Earlier this week, Iran threatened to block inspections of its nuclear sites by the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency from mid-February, which would amount to another breach of the JCPOA.
Source: RT
