Iran to Begin 60% Uranium Enrichment after Nuclear Site Incident

After accusing Israel of sabotaging a crucial nuclear facility, Iran announced on Tuesday that it would begin enriching uranium to 60% purity, taking the fissile material closer to levels appropriate for a missile.

The revelation came just days before the resumption of talks in Vienna aimed at reviving Iran's 2015 nuclear agreement with major powers, which Israel has strongly resisted since it was scrapped three years ago by former US President Donald Trump. A fissile purity of 90% is suitable for a nuclear bomb.

Announcing 60% enrichment, chief nuclear negotiator Abbas Araqchi also said Iran would activate 1,000 advanced centrifuge machines at Natanz, a nuclear plant hit by an explosion on Sunday that Tehran called an act of sabotage by its arch-foe Israel.

However, an Iranian official told Reuters later that “60% enrichment will be in small quantity” only.

“From tonight, practical preparations for 60% enrichment will begin in Natanz; 60% uranium is used to make a variety of radiopharmaceuticals,” the semi-official Fars news agency quoted Iranian nuclear agency spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi as saying.