Russia calls for ‘restraint, responsible approach’ after Iran’s uranium metal production

Russia on Thursday urged Iran to “show restraint and a responsible approach” after the latter produced uranium metal, which can be used as a component in nuclear weapons, AFP reported. It’s a major breach of the 2015 nuclear deal of Iran with the five permanent members of the UNSC, which put a 15-year ban on “producing or acquiring plutonium or uranium metals or their alloys”.

Also read: North Korea, Iran resumed cooperation to develop long-range missiles last year: UN report

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told state news agency RIA Novosti that although Moscow understood “the logic of their actions and the reasons prompting Iran.”

“Despite this it is necessary to show restraint and a responsible approach,” he said.

The Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said Wednesday that it had verified the production of 3.6 grammes of uranium metal at a plant in Iran.

This came after the west Asian nation said last month it was researching uranium metal production.

Ryabkov said Iran’s move demonstrated Tehran’s “determination not to put up with the current situation,” after it warned that time was running out for US President Joe Biden’s administration to save the agreement.

Former US president Donald Trump in 2018 unilaterally withdrew the country from the nuclear deal, which was signed in 2015 between Iran and the five permanent UNSC members — United States, China, Russia, Germany, France and Britain.

Also read: President Joe Biden confirms US won’t unilaterally lift sanctions on Iran

Trump’s successor Biden is seeking to revive the agreement, but the two sides appear to be in a standoff over who acts first.