It is difficult not to feel a twinge of sympathy for Iran as the Obama brokered Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in 2015 to curb Iran’s nuclear programme and in particular, its Uranium Enrichment continues to disintegrate. This following the US decision to withdraw in 2018 in what looks like pandering to its middle east allies Saudi Arabia & Israel.
Under this deal, Tehran agreed to give international inspectors unfettered access to its operations and to limit its nuclear activities to those required to forward its power generation interests. Six countries originally signed this and it ended the tight economic sanctions which had just about brought Iran to its knees.
Image credit: Mike Mareen/Shutterstock
Now with those sanctions being re-applied by the US, and the other signatories to the agreement resorting to hand wringing lest they upset the Trump administration one can hardly lay the entire blame for an increase in the stockpiles of low grade enriched nuclear material on the Iranians. Ok, they are not helping themselves with their rhetoric but if the remaining parties to the agreement won’t stand by their responsibilities then they are forcing Iran’s hand.
Currently, the deal means that Iran can only hold 300kg (661lb) of the low-enriched Uranium-235 (3-4% enriched). To become weapon-grade this would need to be nearer 85% and Iran are not making any moves to do this so hopefully, the remaining five countries will get their collective heads together to find a way to keep this agreement on track before it becomes a diplomatic trainwreck.
