IAEA Censure Iran Over Nuclear Program, Tehran Activates Thousands of Centrifuges

Nov 21, 2024, 08:55 PM

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors passed a censure resolution against Iran on November 21, 2024, marking the second time this year the country has faced such condemnation. The resolution, backed by the United States, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, criticizes Iran for failing to fully cooperate with the IAEA regarding its nuclear activities. Iran had previously suggested it would pause its high levels of uranium enrichment to avoid censure, but the IAEA's decision came despite this offer. Iran's stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels has significantly increased, reaching 32 times the limit set by the 2015 nuclear deal, the JCPOA. In response to the censure, Iran's Atomic Energy Organization announced plans to increase its nuclear centrifuge production, activating thousands of advanced centrifuges, including 4,000 IR6 centrifuges capable of enriching over a million kilograms of uranium. Iran's Foreign Ministry and the Atomic Energy Organization condemned the resolution as politically motivated, warning that it would disrupt cooperation with the IAEA and potentially escalate tensions.