Iran lifts limits on nuclear research and development

But experts say this is a modest escalation of Tehran’s atomic programme and could be easily reversed

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani ordered limits on nuclear research and development to be lifted, the country's third step in scaling down its commitments to a 2015 deal with world powers (AFP/Getty)

Iran has declared it will remove restrictions on the design and development of its uranium enrichment technology in what arms control experts describe as a relatively mild escalation of its nuclear programme.

President Hassan Rouhani declared late on Wednesday that Iran would give its scientists permission to speed up research on advanced centrifuges in a downgrading of its commitments to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the 2015 nuclear deal that is now under threat following US withdrawal from the agreement.

While several media reports suggested that Iran had lifted all limits on research and development, Mr Rouhani’s statement focused exclusively on centrifuge restrictions, and won’t mean Iranian technicians have free reign to research other aspects of nuclear technology.

“The Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran is now duty-bound to initiate whatever technical needs our country has in the sphere of research and development immediately,” he said.

“All the commitments that existed under the JCPOA must be set aside. We have to be witness to research and development in the sphere of centrifuges; all kinds of new centrifuges.”

Centrifuges are machines that refine gaseous uranium ore into fissile material which can be used as fuel for civilian power plants or, if enriched to higher levels, material for nuclear weapons. The potential expansion of centrifuge research and development, set to begin on Friday, is Iran’s third downgrading of its commitment to the JCPOA.

Mr Rouhani said only that Iran would stop abiding by the restrictions, but did not specify which centrifuges it would test.

Non-proliferation experts described the Iranian announcement as relatively modest, and said it could easily be reversed. Under JCPOA, Iran is allowed to use its most basic centrifuges to produce a modest amount of enriched uranium, but must adhere to strict timelines and rules for developing and using the devices that purify the fissile material more quickly and efficiently.

“It’s pretty mild, all things considered,” said Gaukhar Mukhatzhanova, an arms-control expert at the Vienna Centre for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation think tank.

“It’s significant that they would do more research. It’s concerning, but it falls short of what it could have been.”

The nuclear deal placed limits on Iran’s nuclear programme in exchange for normalised trading ties with the west. But the US pulled out of the deal and declared a policy of “maximum pressure” against Iran last year, using its dominance of global trade and finance to punish any country or firm that buys oil from Iran.

US officials on Wednesday confirmed a report by The Financial Times that State Department Iran diplomat Brian Hook had emailed the captain of an Iranian ship carrying 2.1 million barrels of oil and offered him $3m to navigate the tanker to a country that could impound it on behalf of the US.

Europe has struggled to salvage the nuclear deal in the face of US opposition. French President Emmanuel Macron has sought to prevent an outright collapse of the deal by offering Iran a $15 billion line of credit, but has so far failed to convince the administration of Donald Trump not to sabotage it.

Mr Rouhani said that Iran would announce a fresh escalation in two months if the remaining JCPOA partners – including the UK, France, Germany, China, and Russia - fail to come up with a mechanism to improve Iran’s economy, which is mired in recession.

It’s significant that they would do more research. It’s concerning, but it falls short of what it could have been

Gaukhar Mukhatzhanova, Vienna Centre for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation

“If we reach an agreement, we might return to our JCPOA commitments,” he said.

A Trump administration official dismissed the Iranian manoeuvring as attempted blackmail, and repeated US insistence that Iran should stop enriching uranium. Most countries that have civilian nuclear power programmes find it more cost-effective to purchase reactor fuel from abroad rather than producing it domestically.

“If you look at the history, the 40-year history of the Islamic Republic, they’re very good at cat-and-mouse diplomacy; they’re very good at nuclear extortion,” Mr Hook told reporters on Wednesday.

“Iran does not need to enrich fissile material to have a peaceful nuclear programme.”