Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Office on Saturday night criticizes the Biden administration over US reports about Iran slowing down its uranium enrichment, stating: “Arrangements that do not dismantle Iran’s nuclear infrastructure – only provide it with funds that will go to terrorist elements.”
On Friday, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing sources familiar with the situation (Iran Slows Buildup of Uranium Needed for Weapon) that Iran has slowed down the accumulation of highly-enriched uranium considerably, which can be seen as a step toward the resumption of talks with the United States on nuclear problems as early as this fall.
According to the sources, Iran has decreased the level of enrichment of part of its uranium stockpiles. The WSJ said that Tehran took this step as part of efforts toward the resumption of nuclear talks with the United States. US administration officials told Tehran earlier that they were ready to look at possibly resuming the talks that were halted last fall if Tehran took concrete steps during the summer to curtail its nuclear program.
Still, the WSJ pointed out that Iran still has large stocks of 60%-enriched uranium, which could be enough to make two nuclear devices.
The Prime Minister’s office stated Saturday night that “Israel’s position is known: arrangements that do not dismantle Iran’s nuclear infrastructure do not stop its nuclear program and only provide it with funds that will go to terrorist elements sponsored by Iran.”
Last Monday, Netanyahu stated in a meeting with a delegation of Democratic members of Congress that was sponsored by AIPAC: “The most important thing is to create a credible military threat against Iran, and the second thing is to exploit it if all else fails. We will do everything we can, with or without this or that agreement, to protect ourselves.”
Iran’s Foreign Ministry confirmed on Saturday the release of $6 billion belonging to Iran which had been frozen in South Korea under US sanctions.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian tweeted on Saturday that Iran had never abandoned the course of negotiations and diplomacy while it has proceeded with the efforts to neutralize the “illegal sanctions.”
“The efforts will go on until the achievement of ultimate results and the complete fulfillment of Iran’s rights,” he tweeted.
