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Russian envoy calls for resumption of Vienna talks on Iranian nuclear program

The Islamic Republic earlier notified the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of concrete steps to produce uranium metal enriched to up to 20% purity for reactor fuel

VIENNA, July 6. /TASS/. The Vienna talks on restoring the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on Iran’s nuclear program need to be resumed amid the Islamic Republic’s plans to enrich uranium to 20%, said Russian Permanent Representative to International Organizations in Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov, who heads the Russian delegation to the talks.

"The IAEA reports that Iran moves to production of uranium metal enriched up to 20%. The US in its turn maintains maximum pressure policy of D.Trump. The only way out of this vicious circle is resumption of ViennaTalks without delay and full restoration of JCPOA," the Russian diplomat wrote on Twitter.

Earlier, Reuters reported that the Islamic Republic notified the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of concrete steps to produce uranium metal enriched to up to 20% purity for reactor fuel. According to the report, this type of uranium is suitable for both nuclear reactors and nuclear bomb cores and is produced in several stages.

The IAEA reported in February that Iran had implemented its plan to produce uranium metal as part of research and development work to obtain fuel for the Tehran Research Reactor. In January, Iranian Permanent Representative to International Organizations in Vienna Kazem Gharibabadi announced that his country had launched research work to produce uranium metal, adding that the IAEA was notified about the production facility and had carried out an inspection.