LONDON: Iran’s foreign ministry on Friday rejected criticism by France, Germany, Britain and the US of its increase in uranium enrichment, saying this was part of its peaceful nuclear program.
“Enrichment at 60 percent level in Iran’s enrichment centers has always been and will continue to be in accordance with the peaceful needs of the country and fully under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency,” foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani told state media.
Western powers on Thursday condemned Iran for accelerating its production of highly enriched uranium, after a watchdog said it had upped manufacture following months of slowdown.
In a joint statement, Britain, France, Germany and the US said they “condemn this measure that further aggravates the continued escalation of the Iranian nuclear program,” adding that “Iran’s production of highly enriched uranium has no credible civilian justification.”
The statement came two days after the International Atomic Energy Agency released a report saying Iran “increased its production of highly enriched uranium, reversing a previous output reduction from mid-2023.”
Iran had increased its output of 60 percent enriched uranium to a rate of about nine kilograms (20 pounds) a month since the end of November, the UN watchdog said.
That is up from about three kilograms a month since June, and a return to the nine kilograms a month it was producing during the first half of 2023.
In their statement on Thursday, the Western powers said that “these developments constitute a step in a bad direction on the part of Iran,” warning of “significant proliferation risks.”
However, the allies made no mention of any consequences Iran could face for the production hike but called for its reversal and said they remained “committed to a diplomatic solution” of the feud over Tehran’s nuclear program.
“The production of high-enriched uranium by Iran has no credible civilian justification,” the statement said. “These decisions ... represent reckless behavior in a tense regional context.”
Tehran already has enough uranium of 60 percent purity, if enriched to 90 percent, to make three nuclear bombs, according to the IAEA’s theoretical definition.
Iran has denied seeking nuclear weapons.
Britain, France and Germany remain parties to the 2015 deal designed to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. Former US President Donald Trump reneged on the accord in 2018, prompting Iran to gradually violate its strictures.
(With Reuters and AFP)
Iran dismisses Western criticism of its hike in uranium enrichment, says part of peaceful nuclear program
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Iran dismisses Western criticism of its hike in uranium enrichment, says part of peaceful nuclear program
- Western powers on Thursday condemned Iran accelerating its production of highly enriched uranium
Israeli police raid Christmas party in Haifa, arrest Palestinian man dressed as Santa
- ‘Excessive force’ used in raid, says rights group for Palestinian citizens of Israel
- Gaza marks first post-ceasefire Christmas as occupied West Bank faces holiday crackdown
LONDON: Police in Israel last week arrested a Palestinian man dressed as Santa Claus at a Christmas celebration in Haifa, The Guardian reported.
The Christmas event was closed on Sunday, after Israeli officers stormed the area and confiscated equipment, the Mossawa Center, a rights group for Palestinian citizens of Israel, said.
The Palestinian Santa Claus performer was arrested, as well as a DJ and street vendor.
In a video circulating on social media, police can be seen forcing the men to the ground and handcuffing them, as crowds of bystanders watch on.
The Palestinian man dressed as Santa Claus resisted arrest and assaulted an officer, Israeli police said in a statement.
But the police used excessive force during the raid, which was conducted without legal authority on the music hall venue, Mossawa said.
Palestinians across the occupied West Bank and Gaza are celebrating Christmas this week despite Israel’s imposition of restrictions on daily life there.
Celebrations for Dec. 25 were held in Bethlehem for the first time since the beginning of the war on Gaza.
Marching bands blew bagpipes in processions through the streets in the city of Jesus’ birth.
Churchgoers attended mass there at the Church of the Nativity and Palestinian children sang carols as the city hosted major celebrations.
Gaza’s small Christian community marked its first Christmas in the war-torn enclave since the signing of a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
Amid the rubble strewn across Gaza, Christmas trees glitter brought sections of color to the territory, The Guardian reported.
Israel continued military operations and settler attacks took place despite the holiday.
In the town of Turmus Ayya outside Ramallah, Israeli settlers uprooted olive trees belonging to Palestinians, and near Hebron soldiers stormed the homes of residents and confiscated vehicles, according to the Palestinian news agency, WAFA.
Israel is carrying out mounting attacks against Christian sites in the occupied Palestinian territories.
A report in March documented 32 attacks on church properties and 45 assaults against Christians.
Pope Leo XIV, in his first Christmas address as pontiff, drew attention to the abysmal humanitarian situation in Gaza.
Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians there are living in tents amid fierce cold and rain, just as Jesus had been born in a stable, with God “pitching his fragile tent” among the peoples of the world, Leo said.
He added: “How, then, can we not think of the tents in Gaza, exposed for weeks to rain, wind and cold.”
The pope highlighted the plight of “the defenseless populations, tried by so many wars.”
