(Washington) A spokesman for the White House on Tuesday expressed the “deep concern” of the United States over the “advancement” of the Iranian nuclear program, but did not confirm that Iran has indeed started producing 60% enriched uranium at its Fordo plant.
“We continue to watch with deep concern not only the progress of Iran’s nuclear program, but also the steady improvement of their ballistic missile capabilities,” said John Kirby, spokesman for the National Security Council. of the White House.
He added, without giving further details: “We will ensure that the President [américain] has all the necessary » options.
“We certainly haven’t changed our point of view, which is that we won’t let Iran acquire nuclear weapons,” said John Kirby.
President Joe Biden “still believes the best way to get there is through diplomacy,” but “we [n’en] we’re not close,” he said.
“We would much prefer that, but we are too far from it,” the adviser said again, referring to stalled negotiations to try to resurrect a major 2015 international Iranian nuclear deal.
Britain, France and Germany also condemned the expansion of Iran’s nuclear program on Tuesday.
In a joint statement, the three countries “condemn Iran’s latest measures, confirmed by the IAEA, aimed at a further expansion of its nuclear program”.
By increasing its production capacities, Tehran “has taken significant new steps which empty” the 2015 Iranian nuclear agreement “of its content”, believe the British, French and German governments.
“Iran’s decision to increase its production of highly enriched uranium at the Fordo underground enrichment site is particularly worrying”, consider the three countries, for whom this is a “challenge for the international non-proliferation system”.
This measure, which presents “significant proliferation risks, has no credible civilian justification”, they continue.
“The presentation of this escalation as a reaction to the adoption by the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency of a resolution calling for Iran’s cooperation on safeguards is unacceptable”, believe the three European capitals, recalling that “Iran has a legal obligation under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons to fully implement its safeguards agreement”.
“We will continue to consult with our international partners on how to respond to Iran’s continued nuclear escalation”, conclude London, Paris and Berlin
Iran has started producing 60% enriched uranium at the Fordo plant, a rate well above the 3.67% threshold set by the international agreement in question, the agency announced on Tuesday. release Isna.
This underground factory located 180 kilometers south of Tehran had recently been redesigned for greater efficiency.