Ideally, Iran should not be permitted to enrich uranium, even at the 3.67% low enriched uranium level, enough for nuclear reactors to generate electricity, not a nuclear explosion. The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of nuclear weapons (NPT) does not grant an unfettered right to enrich uranium, but even if it did, Iran’s egregious behavior should disqualify them. Indeed, the NPT recognizes the right of non-nuclear-weapons states to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.
Iran has approximately 970 lbs. of uranium enriched to 60% purity – enough for 12 nuclear weapons if in a few weeks enriched to 90% -- that could be down blended to 3.67% in a nuclear weapons state, like Russia, China, or the U.S. Iran may demand, but can they be trusted to down blend this uranium -- buried in deep underground hardened facilities -- themselves?
Enriched uranium for peaceful, civilian use is provided to non-nuclear-weapons states by Russia (Rosatom), France (Orano), a British-Dutch-German consortium (Urenco) and China (China National Nuclear Cooperation). This is where Iran can and should acquire their enriched uranium for peaceful, civilian purposes.
The 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) was opposed by some who took issue with the sunset clause that limited enrichment to 3.67% purity for 15 years – until 2031. After that, it depended on nuclear monitors gaining the access necessary to ensure Iran was not enriching at the 20% or 60% purity levels, a few weeks from the 90% purity level necessary for nuclear weapons. The JCPOA also limited Iran to use first-generation centrifuges for 10 years – until 2026 – after which, more sophisticated centrifuges could be developed and used to enrich uranium.
But this should not be a contest between the JCPOA and whatever is decided during the upcoming 60 days of nuclear negotiations with Iran. Our focus should be on Iran and how they succeeded in convincing the U.S. and our allies and partners to trust them to enrich uranium at the 3.67% purity level for civilian use only. But Iran was enriching at the 20% and 60% levels, seemingly threatening to go nuclear, despite their stated commitment not to produce or acquire nuclear weapons. It’s now publicly known that prior to 2003, Iran had an active program to produce nuclear weapons.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) often reminds us that their monitors in Iran were denied access to suspect non-declared nuclear sites in Iran. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi has criticized Iran for severely restricting or denying monitors access to its nuclear facilities and losing knowledge of Iran’s nuclear materials, thus unable to verify that their program was exclusively peaceful.
But it’s more than the NPT and Iran’s so-called right to enrich uranium. It’s about the regime’s evil behavior. In 1984, the U.S. designated Iran the leading state sponsor of terrorism, providing funding, weapons, training, and sanctuary to numerous terrorist organizations. Their control of and support to Hezbollah, Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and the Houthis and the thousands of innocent people killed by these cowardly terrorist organizations should not be forgotten.
Iran’s brutal treatment of its own people – the Green Movement in 2009, the Women Life Freedom Movement in 2022, and the 2025-2026 Protests – and the use of lethal force to crush any anti-government dissent should not be forgotten.
This is the Iran we’re dealing with. Indeed, is this the Iran we can trust to enrich uranium at the 3.67% purity level for civilian, peaceful use?
As we prepare for the 60 days of nuclear negotiations, Iran’s theocracy must feel good about the $300 billion they will get for reconstruction and economic development, and the lifting of sanctions to permit them to sell crude oil and diesel on the open market, and according to the Wall Street Journal, the unfreezing of $100 billion for humanitarian use and Qatar’s immediate release of $6 billion. And of course, the lifting of the 2-month U.S. blockade of Iran.
Iran’s supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, said President Donald Trump acted “out of desperation” to secure the agreement with Iran, while Iran acted “out of compassion and goodwill” to reach the agreement.
Iran’s ballistic missile program and support to proxies should follow our scheduled 60 days of nuclear discussions with Iran. These programs are a threat to the region.
Clearly, Iran cannot be trusted to enrich uranium.
The author is a former Director of the National Counterproliferation Center. All statements of fact, opinion or analysis expressed are those of the author and do not reflect the official positions or views of the U.S. government. Nothing in the contents should be construed as asserting or implying U.S. government authentication of information or endorsement of the author’s views.
This article was originally published in The Washington Times and is republished here with permission.
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