Iran activates advanced centrifuges as deadline passes

Iran says it has started up advanced centrifuges to boost the country’s stockpile of enriched uranium and that the clock is ticking for other parties to salvage a 2015 nuclear deal.

As a third step in Iran’s reduction of commitments under the deal, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) activated 20 IR-4 and 20 IR-6 centrifuges, its spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi told a news conference in Tehran Saturday.

“We have started lifting limitations on our Research and Development imposed by the deal … it will include development of more rapid and advanced centrifuges … all these steps are reversible if the other side fulfills its promises,” he said. 

Kamalvandi said the International Atomic Energy Agency has been informed about Iran’s new nuclear steps which it will continue to monitor.