Exploring Iran's Nuclear Policy: Defending Uranium Enrichment in a Complex Geopolitical Landscape"

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has defended his country's enrichment of uranium to near weapons-grade levels, citing it as a response to European states not upholding their end of the 2015 nuclear agreement. At the outset, we did not seek enrichment levels of 60%. They (European states) violated their commitments," Raisi said during an interview on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly this week.

"The actions of the Islamic Republic of Iran were in reaction to the breach of commitments by the signatories to the 2015 agreement."

Iran announced its uranium enrichment to 60% following an attack on its above-ground nuclear facility in Natanz, which was attributed to another nation. This move raised concerns in the West as it reduced Iran's "breakout time" to create a nuclear weapon, which necessitates uranium enriched beyond 90%. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN's nuclear watchdog, reported that Iran was the only non-nuclear-armed nation enriching uranium to 60% purity, and in March, uranium particles enriched to 84% were found at Iran's Fordow plant. Despite slower growth, a confidential IAEA report this month indicated that Iran's stock of uranium enriched to up to 60% purity continued to expand.

Nuclear power, Iran's stated purpose for its nuclear program, typically requires uranium enrichment levels between 3% and 5%. There is also concern that unchecked Iranian nuclear activities could lead to further nuclear proliferation in the Middle East, as indicated by Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who mentioned the possibility of acquiring nuclear weapons if Iran does. Raisi rejected allegations that Iran's increased enrichment was aimed at building a nuclear bomb, asserting that it was a response to Europe's failure to honor its commitments. He reiterated Iran's long-standing position that it has no intention of pursuing a nuclear bomb. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the 2015 agreement to limit Iran's nuclear program, was signed by Iran and world powers, including the United States and the European Union. The agreement restricted Iranian uranium enrichment to 3.67% in exchange for sanctions relief. The US withdrew from the JCPOA in 2018 under the Trump administration and imposed a series of sanctions targeting Iran's economy. Since 2021, the JCPOA signatories have attempted to restart negotiations between Washington and Tehran, but they have yet to reach an agreement. Iran has argued that, in addition to the US withdrawal, other JCPOA signatories have not fulfilled their obligations, continuing to impose sanctions on Iran. Raisi stated that if European countries were to fulfill their commitments at any point, Iran would also fully adhere to its commitments.

Iran has recently expressed frustration with increasing Western sanctions and the refusal of the UK, France, and Germany (the E3) to lift certain sanctions on individuals and entities involved in Iran's missile, nuclear, and other weapons programs, which were supposed to be lifted under the 2015 nuclear agreement. The E3 announced that they would not lift sanctions on Iran's missile programs as scheduled but would instead incorporate them into domestic laws in response to Iran's non-compliance with the JCPOA. This decision was deemed "illegal" by Iran's foreign ministry, and Iran barred several UN inspectors from conducting verification activities on its nuclear program this month. The IAEA reported that Tehran had removed designations of inspectors from France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, the countries Iran accused of not honoring their commitments under the 2015 deal, as well as the US. Raisi clarified that Iran's intention was not to prevent the IAEA from conducting inspections but rather to raise concerns about inspectors from these three countries. He added that their trust was under doubt. In a joint statement, the three European countries and the US called on Iran to immediately reverse its decision and cooperate fully with the IAEA. The credibility of European JCPOA signatories has eroded in the eyes of Iran, according to Ali Vaez, Iran Project Director at the International Crisis Group think tank. The Iranians view them as having made lofty promises that were not fulfilled. In recent developments, Iran and the US reached an understanding that led to a reduction in Iran's nuclear program. Europe played no role in this outcome.

In a sign of diplomatic progress, Iran released five American detainees in a Qatar-mediated deal this week, which also involved the unfreezing of approximately $6 billion in Iranian assets and the release of five Iranian detainees in the US. This arrangement demonstrated a method of informal agreements between Washington and Tehran, with smaller concessions exchanged instead of a broader, formal agreement.