Iran tries to increase pressure on world powers

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Iran tries to increase pressure on world powers

Iran tried to increase the pressure on western negotiators in Vienna by increasing its use of advanced centrifuges as talks on reviving the 2015 nuclear deal continued for a third day on Wednesday.

On Wednesday, the International Atomic Energy Agency reported that Iran had begun the process of enriching uranium to up to 20% purity with one cascade of 166 advanced IR-6 machines at the Fordow fuel enrichment plant, which is about 20 miles north-east of Qom. Those machines are far more efficient than the first-generation IR-1.

The IAEA said it would increase the frequency of verification activities at the plant and continue consultations with Iran on practical arrangements to facilitate implementation of these activities. The Iranian government spokesman accused Israel of lying to poison the atmosphere in the negotiations.

The Israeli regime whose existence relies on tension is at once trumpeting lies to poison Vienna talks, according to Saeed Khatibzadeh, Iranian foreign ministry spokesman posted on Twitter. The parties in the room now face a test of their political will to carry out the job irrespective of the fake news that threatens to destroy prospects for success. According to reports at the weekend, Israel shared intelligence with the US and several European allies over the past two weeks, suggesting that Iran was taking technical steps to prepare to enrich uranium to 90% purity, the level needed for a nuclear weapon.

After meeting the French president, Emmanuel Macron, the Israeli foreign minister, Yair Lapid, said on Tuesday that Iran was trying to buy time to advance its nuclear programme and that major powers needed to come up with a different approach.

In a further sign of the difficulties ahead, the influential Iranian parliamentary research unit presented in English for the first time the kind of benchmarks and procedures Iran will set to verify that US sanctions have been lifted its precondition for compliance.

The report calls for the creation of an Iranian body to oversee the verification of sanctions relief, and publish reports each quarter. The body would have three tasks. They would be evaluating the impact of sanctions removal, establishing a mechanism so that any Iranian person or entity can submit a complaint about sanctions relief, and preparing an action plan for decreasing nuclear commitments in the event that other parties renege on their commitments.

The document asks for a written commitment from neighbouring countries not to take action against foreign entities willing to engage Iran economically. Also required were US official statements proclaiming that medium and long-term economic engagement with Iran was permissible, and promising to refrain from any action damaging engagement with Iran.