Iran’s former atomic chief calls for higher enrichment

In an interview with ISNA news agency, Fereydoun Abbasi said the Board of Governors’ ‘politically-charged resolution’ was issued despite Iran’s cooperation with the IAEA beyond its obligations over the past 20 years.

He noted that the Board has been consistently influenced by the European troika, the UK, France, Germany, plus the US, explaining that since 2003, numerous resolutions have been drafted against Iran by these countries, which have vested interests aligned with Western nations.

The current member of Iran’s parliament expressed skepticism about whether granting greater access to IAEA inspectors would influence their decisions, citing the international atomic agency’s record of “playing into the hands of Western countries.”

Stressing Iran’s right to build new nuclear reactors for research purposes, he noted that specific regions have been identified for potential new reactors designed for research and radioisotope production.

Abbasi also revealed plans to construct two to three light-water research reactors similar to the Tehran reactor, which is nearing the end of its operational life.