A day after the Trump administration effectively banned Iranian officials and their families from the US (despite Hassan Rouhani and some 80 deputies being in New York for the UN General Assembly), the IAEA confirmed that Iran has committed yet another breach of the nuclear accord.
Specifically, the country is now enriching uranium with advanced centrifuges. “On 25 September 2019, the Agency verified that all of the (centrifuge) cascades already installed in R&D lines 2 and 3…were accumulating, or had been prepared to accumulate, enriched uranium”, a report reads.
Tehran has gradually fallen out of compliance with the terms of the agreement in an effort to compel the US to abandon its “maximum pressure” campaign. Over the past five months alone, Iran has breached a stockpile limit on enriched uranium and exceeded the enrichment ceiling.
Trump Bans Iranian Officials From US, While Pompeo Slaps Chinese Shipping Companies With Sanctions
Hassan Rouhani on Thursday said some agreements have been reached with the European powers, but noted that Europe wanted the Trump administration’s approval on talks.
No grand deal was reached in New York, he said, adding that discussions with Europe fell short of closing “gaps”. A rumored $15 billion credit line secured by the nation’s oil is still being worked on, he added. Trump tentatively blessed that idea following the G-7 late last month, but there’s no telling where it stands now.
Meanwhile, the world is still waiting on Iran to free the UK-flagged Stena Impero. The process of allowing the vessel to leave Iranian waters is in the “final stages”, Rouhani said. “I foresee that it will be freed”.
On Tuesday, Trump lambasted Iran in his address to the UNGA. “The regime is squandering the nation’s wealth and future in a fanatical quest for nuclear weapons”, Trump claimed.
In his own address to the body, Rouhani reiterated the US should lift sanctions and return to the accord to pave the way for talks.
Tensions are unlikely to ease anytime soon. The Department of Defense today provided details of the military assistance the US will be sending to Saudi Arabia in response to the attacks on the kingdom’s oil infrastructure. The Saudis will get an additional Patriot missile battery, four radar and some 200 additional US personnel.
Rouhani on Thursday reiterated that Iran “had nothing to do” with the attacks. The Houthis, he said, have long-range missiles and drones.
Anyone here remember the old text-based strategy game “Balance of Power”? – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balance_of_Power_(video_game)
Oh my God, thank you for this. I always remembered it as Eagle vs. Bear and could never find it. You have made my day.