DUBAI, UAE (Iran) – The Iranian president on Wednesday described his country’s decision to drastically increase uranium enrichment after saboteurs attacked a nuclear site as “a response to its wickedness,” saying Israel hoped to derail ongoing talks aimed at reviving Tehran’s worn-out nuclear deal with world powers.
This weekend’s sabotage at Natanz’s nuclear facilities appears to be part of a shadow escalation between the two countries. Israeli authorities have not commented on the attack, but it is suspected that they carried it out.
Iran announced on Tuesday that it would increase uranium enrichment to 60%, the highest level in history, in response to the attack. This could lead to further retaliation, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed never to allow Tehran to obtain a nuclear weapon. While Iranian action keeps enrichment below 90% weapons grade levels, it is within walking distance.
Speaking to his cabinet, a passionate President Hassan Rouhani said first-generation IR-1 centrifuges that were damaged in the attack will be replaced by advanced IR-6 centrifuges that enrich uranium much more quickly.
“You wanted to leave your hands empty during the conversations, but we have our hands full,” Rouhani said.
He was referring to ongoing talks in Vienna aimed at finding a way for the United States to re-enter the Tehran nuclear deal and for Iran to meet its limits again. The agreement prevented Iran from having enough uranium reserves to be able to pursue a nuclear weapon in exchange for lifting economic sanctions.
Rouhani added: “60% enrichment is a response to your wickedness. … We cut off both your hands, one with IR-6 centrifuges and the other with 60%. “
Rouhani also accused Israel of being behind Natanz’s attack.
“Apparently, this is a crime of the Zionists. If the Zionists take action against our nation, we will respond, “he said, without elaborating.
In Jerusalem, in a commemoration of Memorial Day, Netanyahu seemed to be referring to Iran.
“We must never remain apathetic to the threats of war and extermination of those who try to eliminate us,” he said.
Officials initially said enrichment would begin Wednesday. However, a tweet on Wednesday morning from Iran’s sending to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Kazem Gharibadadi, suggested it could come later.
“The modification of the process has just started and we hope to accumulate the product next week,” Gharibadadi wrote.
Iran insists its nuclear program is peaceful, although the West and the IAEA say Tehran had a military nuclear program in place until the end of 2003. An annual U.S. intelligence report released on Tuesday maintained the US assessment that “Iran is not taking over the nuclear power plant the weapons development activities we judge would be necessary to produce a nuclear device.”
The talks in Vienna are aimed at reactivating America’s role in the agreement and lifting the sanctions that former President Donald Trump imposed after unilaterally withdrawing America from the agreement in 2018. Rouhani, in his comments, insisted on Wednesday that Iran is still looking for a negotiated solution on its program.
“The United States should return to the same conditions as in 2015 when we signed the nuclear deal,” Rouhani said.
Earlier, Iran had said it could use up to 60% enriched uranium for nuclear-powered ships. However, the Islamic Republic does not currently have these vessels in its navy. The IAEA has confirmed that Iran has informed it of its plans to enrich up to 60%.
Iran had become rich by up to 20%, and even that meant a short technical step up to arms levels.
The weekend attack on Natanz was initially described only as a power outage that fed ground workshops and underground enrichment rooms, but later Iranian officials began calling it an attack.
Alireza Zakani, the hardhead of the Iranian parliament’s research center, referred to “several thousand damaged and destroyed centrifuges” in a state television interview. However, no other official has offered this figure and no images of the sequels have been posted.
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Associated Press writers Nasser Karimi in Tehran, Iran, and Ilan Ben Zion in Jerusalem contributed to this report.