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WASHINGTON Iran said Monday that it had begun running a significant number of new, advanced uranium centrifuges, accelerating its ability to produce enough nuclear material to make a bomb and throwing its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers into further disarray.

The big question now is how quickly Iran, with its new capacity, could produce the fuel needed for a single bomb. Some analysts say that it might be able to do so in under a year.

The announcement was Tehrans third move in six months to ratchet up pressure on the West in response to President Trump's decision to exit the nuclear agreement and reimpose sanctions on Iran.

It came the same day that the White House imposed a new set of sanctions aimed directly at top aides to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the nations supreme leader. The sanctions were timed to mark the 40th anniversary of the American Embassy takeover in Tehran.

Ever since Mr. Trump announced in May 2018 that he was withdrawing the United States from the Obama-era nuclear deal that also includes Britain, France, Germany, China and Russia, Iran has walked step by step away from the commitments it made under the agreement. It says it can no longer abide by the deal if the United States violates it by unilaterally reimposing sanctions.

The agreements restrictions on centrifuges was a major restraint. It limited Iran to using about 5,000 older centrifuges at its main nuclear development facility for 10 years.

But in April, with the United States having pulled out of the deal, Tehran announced plans to use newer, more efficient centrifuges.

Then on Monday, it said it had doubled them.

Ali Akbar Salehi, chief of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, told state news media that 30 more advanced centrifuges had been put into use, bringing the total to 60. And he said Iran was to making plans to install more advanced centrifuges in the future.

It was the goal of the nuclear deal to keep Iran from being able to produce enough fuel for a bomb within a year and give the international community time to respond if there was evidence Tehran was actually seeking a bomb.

Iran has always said that it is not seeking a bomb, and on Monday reiterated that it was prepared to save the nuclear agreement.

Our final goal is full implementation of the nuclear deal, said Ali Rabiei, a government spokesman. Irans actions, he said, are aimed at bringing the other side back to compliance.

The new Treasury Department sanctions announced Monday target the general staff of Irans armed forces and nine associates of the ayatollah, who himself was the target of previous sanctions. Among the new targets were the ayatollahs chief of staff, one of his sons and the head of Irans judiciary.

This action further constricts the supreme leaders ability to execute his agenda of terror and oppression, Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin said in a statement.

The administration also increased to $20 million from $5 million the reward for information leading to the recovery of Robert A. Levinson, an American who disappeared in Iran in 2007. Mr. Levinson, a former F.B.I. agent who worked as a private investigator and part-time consultant for the C.I.A., vanished while on a mission to recruit an intelligence source for the C.I.A.

The administrations settling of old scores it was in 1979 that Iranians seized 52 Americans at the embassy, holding them for 444 days and dominating the last year and a half of Jimmy Carters presidency and the escalation by Tehran of its nuclear fuel production capabilities underscored how poisonous the relationship between the countries remains.

A brief effort by France to begin a dialogue between President Hassan Rouhani and Mr. Trump at the United Nations in September fizzled: Mr. Rouhani declined an invitation to enter a room where Mr. Trump would be available on an open speakerphone, The New Yorker reported.

The Trump administration argues that its strategy is working: The sanctions have dramatically cut Irans oil revenues, and Mr. Trump often maintains Iran is now a different country because of the pain imposed.

But that pain has not resulted in changed political decisions, at least not yet.

Rob Malley, who took part the nuclear deal negotiations as a senior official in the Obama administration, said Monday that the Iranian centrifuge action will come as a surprise only to those who believed in the fantasy that the Trump administrations maximum pressure campaign somehow would lead Tehran to agree to more stringent measures."

Mr. Malley said: The good news is that the steps announced today are reversible. The bad news is that there is as of yet no indication the administration is prepared to reverse course.

The moment is coming, said Mr. Malley, now president of the International Crisis Group, when the accord completely falls apart.

Even as it escalates, however, the Iranian government says it is prepared to reverse each step if the European powers that signed the agreement find a way to ease the impact of United States sanctions.

Led by France, Europe has now proposed two different ways to alleviate the pressure, but so far neither has gone into effect. The most recent was a proposal for a $15 billion line of credit, secured by Irans future oil shipments, that would allow it to re-engage in Western markets. But eventually France said that deal, too, would require Washingtons acquiescence.

At a news conference in Tehran on Monday, Mr. Rabiei, the government spokesman, said that if the European commitments are fully implemented, we will come close to what we had in the nuclear deal, too, according to the semiofficial Fars News Agency.

The centrifuges are used to separate the rare, highly radioactive isotope, uranium 235, from uranium 238. Increasing the proportion of uranium 235 is known as enrichment. At low enrichment levels, that produces fuel for nuclear power. At 90 percent enrichment, it provides fuel for a bomb.

Under the nuclear deal, Iran gave up about 97 percent of its enriched uranium stockpile, agreeing to keep no more than 660 pounds for 15 years. It also agreed to limit its enrichment to less than 4 percent uranium 235.

In recent months, Iran has gone beyond both the total amount and the level of enrichment that were allowed under the agreement. But its stockpile is still too small to make a single bomb.

David Sanger reported from Washington, and Richard Prez-Pea from London. Peter Baker contributed reporting from Washington.

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Iran Adds Advanced Centrifuges, Further Weakening Nuclear ...

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) The Latest on developments in Iran as the country marks the anniversary of the U.S. Embassy takeover 40 years ago (all times local):

6:30 p.m.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas says Iran's latest step away from its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers risks completely breaking the entire agreement.

Maas said Iran's decision Monday to operate a greater number of advanced centrifuges "unacceptable."

Speaking to reporters in Hungary, he said "ultimately Iran is doing nothing less than putting the entire nuclear agreement at risk."

Iran has said its centrifuge decision is a direct result of U.S. President Donald Trump's withdrawal from the agreement more than a year ago.

Maas added that Germany expects Iran to "return to full compliance with the commitments" made in the deal.

Under the accord, Tehran limited its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions.

But since the deal collapsed, European nations have been unable to give Iran a way to help it sell its oil abroad as it faces renewed U.S. sanctions.

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5:00 p.m.

The European Union says it's still committed to Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, even as that deal continues to collapse following U.S. President Donald Trump's withdrawal from the agreement.

Maja Kocijancic, a spokeswoman for the European Commission, said Monday that the deal "is a matter of our security, not just the region or Europe but globally." But she says the EU's commitment to the deal "depends on the full compliance by Iran."

Earlier Monday, Iran broke further from the agreement by announcing it's doubling the number of advanced centrifuges it operates. The announcement comes on the 40th anniversary of the 1979 U.S. Embassy takeover in Tehran.

Iran has previously taken steps away from the accord try to pressure Europe to offer a new deal. But so far, European nations have been unable to give Iran a way to help it sell its oil abroad as it faces strict U.S. sanctions.

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Story continues

2:15 p.m.

The head of Iran's nuclear program says that Tehran is working on a prototype centrifuge that's 50 times faster than those allowed under the nuclear deal with world powers.

The comments by Ali Akbar Salehi on Monday came as Iranians mark the 40th anniversary of the 1979 U.S. Embassy takeover and start of the 444-day hostage crisis.

Salehi says the prototype is called an IR-9 and that it would be as 50-times faster than the first-generation IR-1s allowed under the accord.

The nuclear deal limited Iran to using only 5,060 first-generation IR-1 centrifuges to enrich uranium by rapidly spinning uranium hexafluoride gas.

Salehi earlier in the same state TV interview said that Tehran is now operating 60 IR-6 advanced centrifuges in violation of its atomic deal with world powers. That's double the amount previously known.

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2 p.m.

The head of Iran's nuclear program says Tehran is now operating 60 IR-6 advanced centrifuges in violation of its atomic deal with world powers.

The comments by Ali Akbar Salehi mean that Iran is now operating double the amount of advanced centrifuges than was previously known.

Salehi made the announcement to state TV on the 40th anniversary of the takeover of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran.

An IR-6 centrifuge can produce enriched uranium 10 times as fast as the first-generation IR-1s allowed under the accord.

The nuclear deal limited Iran to using only 5,060 first-generation IR-1 centrifuges to enrich uranium by rapidly spinning uranium hexafluoride gas.

By starting up these advanced centrifuges, Iran further cuts into the one-year time limit that experts estimate Tehran would need to have enough material to build a nuclear weapon, if it chose to pursue one.

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10 a.m.

Iran has begun commemorating the 40th anniversary of the 1979 student takeover of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and the subsequent 444-day hostage crisis.

Among the events planned in Tehran on Monday is a rally by hard-liners at the former embassy and an address by Iranian army commander Gen. Abdolrahim Mousavi. State TV says rallies also will take place in nearly 1,000 cities and towns across Iran.

The anniversary this year comes amid tensions heightened to a level unseen since the hostage crisis after President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the U.S. from Iran's nuclear deal with world powers and re-imposed sanctions on Tehran.

Islamist students seized the embassy in 1979 after Washington allowed ousted Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi to travel to the U.S. for medical treatment.

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The Latest: Germany says Iran risking entire nuclear deal

Iranian protesters set US flags on fire during a rally outside the former US embassy in the Iranian capital Tehran on November 4, 2019, to mark the 40th anniversary of the Iran hostage crisis. Getty

Tehran, Iran Iran on Monday broke further away from its collapsing 2015 nuclear deal with world powers by announcing it's doubling the number of advanced centrifuges it operates. Tehran called the decision a direct result of President Donald Trump's withdrawal from the agreement.

The announcement which also included Iran saying it now has a prototype centrifuge that works 50 times faster than those allowed under the deal came as demonstrators across the country marked the 40th anniversary of the 1979 U.S. Embassy takeover that started a 444-day hostage crisis.

By starting up these advanced centrifuges, Iran further cuts into the one year that experts estimate Tehran would need to have enough material for building a nuclear weapon if it chose to pursue one. Iran long has insisted its program is for peaceful purposes, though Western fears about its work led to the 2015 agreement that saw Tehran limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions.

Tehran has gone from producing about 1 pound of low-enriched uranium a day to 11 pounds, said Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran.

Salehi dramatically pushed a button on a keyboard to start a chain of 30 IR-6 centrifuges at Iran's Natanz nuclear facility, where he was being filmed, increasing the number of working centrifuges to 60.

"With the grace of God, I start the gas injection," the U.S.-trained scientist said.

The nuclear deal limited Iran to using only 5,060 first-generation IR-1 centrifuges to enrich uranium by rapidly spinning uranium hexafluoride gas. Salehi also announced that scientists were working on a prototype he called the IR-9, which worked 50-times faster than the IR-1.

As of now, Iran is enriching uranium to 4.5%, in violation of the accord's limit of 3.67%. Enriched uranium at the 3.67% level is enough for peaceful pursuits but is far below weapons-grade levels of 90%. At the 4.5% level, it is enough to help power Iran's Bushehr reactor, the country's only nuclear power plant.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani will announce further steps away from the accord sometime soon, government spokesman Ali Rabiei separately said Monday, suggesting Salehi's comments could be followed by additional violations of the nuclear deal. An announcement had been expected this week.

Iran has threatened in the past to push enrichment back up to 20%. That would worry nuclear nonproliferation experts because 20% is a short technical step away from reaching weapons-grade levels of 90%. It also has said it could ban inspectors from the United Nations' nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The Vienna-based IAEA did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday on Iran's announcement.

Iran broke through its stockpile and enrichment limitations to try to pressure Europe to offer it a new deal, more than a year since Mr. Trump unilaterally withdrew America from the accord. But so far European nations have been unable to offer Iran a way to help it sell its oil abroad as it faces strict U.S. sanctions.

Meanwhile Monday, demonstrators chanting the trademark "Down with USA" and "Death to America" slogans gathered in front of the former U.S. Embassy in downtown Tehran as state television aired video from other cities across the country making the anniversary of the hostage standoff.

"Thanks to God, today the revolution's seedlings have evolved into a fruitful and huge tree that its shadow has covered the entire" Middle East, said Gen. Abdolrahim Mousavi, the commander of the Iranian army.

The collapse of the nuclear deal coincided with a tense summer of mysterious attacks on oil tankers and Saudi oil facilities that the U.S. blamed on Iran. Tehran denied the allegation, though it did seize oil tankers and shoot down a U.S. military surveillance drone.

The U.S. has increased its military presence across the Mideast, including basing troops in Saudi Arabia for the first time since the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks. Both Saudi Arabia and the neighboring United Arab Emirates are believed to be talking to Tehran through back channels to ease tensions.

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Iran marks U.S. Embassy hostage crisis anniversary with ...

Iran announced a more than tenfold increase in its enriched uranium stockpile on Monday, raising concerns the nation is closer to developing a nuclear weapon.

Following a series of steps back from a 2015 nuclear deal with the United States no longer intact, Iran has also developed two new advanced centrifuges, which on is still undergoing testing, head of Irans Atomic Energy Organization, Ali Akbar Salehi,said.

We must thank the enemy for bringing about this opportunity to show the might of the Islamic Republic of Iran, especially in the nuclear industry, Salehi said.

This is while some say (Irans) nuclear industry was destroyed! he said while laughing.

Salehi also said that Iranian engineers have successfully built a prototype of IR-9, which is our newest machine, and also a model of a new machine called IR-s all these in two months.

Iran is producing five kilograms of enriched uranium per day,Salehi told reportersat the Natanz facility in central Iran, which is more than 11 times the 450 grams it was producing two months ago.

As tensions between the United States and Iran rise, Iran has continued toincrease its stockpile of heavy water,which is usedat its nuclear reactor in Arak, above the now-defunct 2015 agreements limit of 130 tonnes.

The 2015 deal was designed to allow Iran to sell its oil in exchange for curbing its uranium enrichment program. Instead of renewing the deal, the United States is looking to get more countries involved and in its place are crippling economic sanctions on the nation.

Irans supreme leaderAyatollah Ali Khamenei doubled down on previous statements he would not allow the two nations to hold any new talks, Radio Free Europe/Liberty Radioreported.

One way to block Americas political infiltration is to ban any talks with America. It means Iran will not yield to Americas pressure, Khamenei was quoted as saying on TVon Sunday.

Those who see negotiations with the U.S. as the solution to every problem are certainly mistaken, he added. Nothing will come out of talking to the U.S. because they certainly and definitely wont make any concessions.

Furthermore, Israeli officials have claimed that Iran is secretly buildingnuclear weapons sites.

Israeli embassy spokesman Elad Strohmayer wrote in a series of tweets that Israel has exposed another Iranian violation of their international commitments: the Abadeh Nuclear Weapons Development Site.

He added: We have proof that #Iranconducted experiments to develop nuclear weapons there, and that they destroyed the site when they realized we discovered it.

Original post:
Iran announces massive increase in enriched uranium production

By Parisa Hafezi

DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran said on Monday it had launched a new batch of advanced centrifuges to accelerate uranium enrichment, further reducing compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal following the withdrawal of its arch-foe the United States.

Iran has gradually shed commitments made under the deal with world powers since being hit with renewed U.S. sanctions that have crippled its oil exports. Germany said on Monday Iran's announced roll-out of modernised centrifuges jeopardises the accord and called on Tehran to return to it.

Under the 2015 deal, the Islamic Republic is only allowed to enrich uranium with just over 5,000 of its first-generation IR-1 centrifuges, widely seen as antiquated and breakdown-prone. The new IR-6 machines can refine uranium 10 times faster, said Ali Akbar Salehi, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran.

"Today, we are witnessing the launch of the cascade (operating set) of 30 IR-6 centrifuges," Salehi told state television. "Iran now is operating 60 IR-6 advanced centrifuges. It shows our capacity and determination.

"Our scientists are working on a prototype called the IR-9 that works 50 times faster than the IR-1s."

The nuclear deal, under which international sanctions against Iran were lifted, was tailored to extend the time Iran would need to accumulate enough fissile material for a nuclear bomb - sometimes referred to as the breakout time - to about a year from 2-3 months.

Tehran denies ever having aimed to develop a nuclear bomb, saying enrichment is only to generate energy for civilian uses.

The U.N. nuclear watchdog said in September that Iran had informed the agency about making modifications to accommodate cascades - or interconnected clusters - of 164 of the IR-2m and IR-4 centrifuge. Cascades of the same size and type were scrapped under the nuclear agreement.

Iran "has no credible reason" to expand its enrichment programme, a senior U.S. administration official said on Monday in a call with reporters. "And what they've announced is a big step in the wrong direction."

Iran's announcement came on the 40th anniversary of the seizure of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran at the start of its Islamic Revolution. Thousands of Iranians chanted "Death to America" near the old embassy with the army chief likening Washington to a scorpion bent on harming Iran.

Story continues

A brief thaw in decades of antagonism between Tehran and Washington brought about by the 2015 deal ended last year when U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew from the accord, under which Iran had agreed to rein in its disputed enrichment programme in exchange for relief from economic sanctions.

FRESH U.S. SANCTIONS

Trump said the accord was flawed in Iran's favour and wants it renegotiated. Washington has since renewed and intensified its sanctions, slashing Iran's economically vital crude oil sales by more than 80%.

The Trump administration on Monday slapped fresh sanctions on nine people with ties to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, including his chief of staff, one of his sons and the head of Iran's judiciary. The U.S. Treasury Department said those targeted help Khamenei "implement his destabilizing policies".

Responding to Washington's "maximum pressure" campaign, Iran has bypassed the restrictions of the deal step-by-step - including by breaching both its cap on stockpiled enriched uranium and on the level of enrichment.

However, Iran remains far short of the enrichment level - 90 percent - seen as necessary to produce bomb-grade uranium.

Tehran has rejected the Trump administration's demand that a a new deal imposing stricter limits on its nuclear capacity as well as curbs on its ballistic missile programme and on its regional behaviour.

Tehran, however, has left room for diplomacy by saying that talks are possible if Washington lifts all the sanctions and itself returns to the nuclear deal.

"If they (Washington) return to their commitments, we also will go back to our commitments, Salehi said, adding that "Iran is ready to fully implement the deal if its rights are respected".

Iran has warned it might take further steps away from the deal this month if European powers who remain committed to the pact fail to shield its economy from U.S. penalties.

While steps taken by Iran so far do not make a big difference to the nuclear "breakout" time for now, they further complicate the chances of saving the accord by the European signatories, who have criticised Trump for exiting it.

(Additional reporting by John Irish in Paris and Babak Dehghanpisheh in Geneva; Writing by Parisa Hafezi; Editing by Mark Heinrich)

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