The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has accused Iran of starting enriching uranium with the third series of advanced "IR-2M" centrifuges at the underground nuclear facility, Natanz.
"Iran has started supplying natural UF6 (uranium hexafluoride) to 174 IR-2M centrifuges," the United Nations (UN) agency said in a report quoted by Reuters on Monday.
The report added that the fourth series of 174 "IR-2M" centrifuges in Natanz were installed but not fed by natural UF6, indicating that the fifth series is being installed while the sixth group has not yet been launched.
This procedure is considered a new step by Iran within the framework of what it describes as "reducing its obligations" in the nuclear agreement concluded in 2015 with each of the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France, and Germany.
Iran began such measures, including raising uranium enrichment to the level of 20%, in 2019 in response to the withdrawal of the United States of America (USA) under its former president, Donald Trump, from the agreement, and his imposition of painful economic sanctions on the Iranian side.
With the transfer of power in Washington to the new president, Joe Biden, expectations have increased for the two sides to return to the implementation of the agreement, which is being urged by the rest of its parties, but Washington and Tehran are at odds over who should take the first step in this direction.
The nuclear agreement is an international mechanism to ensure that Iran does not work to develop a nuclear weapon.
Tehran has previously said repeatedly that it is capable of carrying out this mission, but it does not seek to do so because "the manufacture of weapons of mass destruction contradicts the principles of Islam."
Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei had issued a fatwa saying that the production of nuclear weapons is forbidden by Islam.
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