Salehi: Iran plans to produce 20% enriched uranium as soon as possible

Iran says it plans to enrich uranium up to 20% at its underground Fordow nuclear facility “as soon as possible”, Iranian media outlets reported on Saturday.

The decision which was announced by head of the civilian Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Ali Akbar Salehi, comes after the parliament passed a bill, dubbed the Strategic Action Plan to Counter Sanctions, which was written later into the law.  

Salehi said the Iranian government and his organization are obliged to implement the law.

“We are like soldiers and our fingers are on the triggers,” Salehi told Iranian national television. “The commander should command and we shoot. We are ready for this and will produce (20% enriched uranium) as soon as possible.”

The International Atomic Energy Agency acknowledged Iran had informed its inspectors of the decision by a letter after news leaked overnight Friday, press TV said.

“Iran has informed the agency that in order to comply with a legal act recently passed by the country’s parliament, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran intends to produce low-enriched uranium (LEU) up to 20 percent at the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant,” the IAEA said in a statement.

Hamda Mustafa