Iran says only 5 days needed to ramp up uranium enrichment
TEHRAN, Iran — Iran’s atomic chief said Tuesday the Islamic Republic needs only five days to ramp up its uranium enrichment to 20 per cent, a level at which the material could quickly be further enriched for use in a nuclear weapon.
The comments by Ali Akbar Salehi to Iranian state television come as U.S. President Donald Trump repeatedly has threatened to renegotiate or walk away from the 2015 nuclear deal.
Salehi’s warning, along with recent comments by President Hassan Rouhani, show Iran is willing to push back against Trump while still acknowledging it wants to keep the deal, which lifted crippling economic sanctions.
“If there is a plan for a reaction and a challenge, we will definitely surprise them,” said Salehi, who also serves as one of Rouhani’s vice-presidents. “If we make the determination, we are able to resume 20 per cent enrichment in at most five days.”