Eslami: We will launch a third enrichment site

Mohammad Eslami, Vice President and Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, said on Thursday, June 12, in reaction to the IAEA resolution: “In response to the unlawful and politically motivated move by the IAEA Board of Governors, we will launch our third enrichment site in a secure location and begin operations.”

He added: “The enrichment industry is rooted in the spirit of the Iranian people and cannot be eliminated.”

Eslami stated that equipment installation and machine deployment at the new site will begin immediately, and enrichment will commence there.

He emphasized: “At Fordow, we will replace the first-generation centrifuges with advanced ones.”

The Vice President also noted: “The European countries and the United States are misusing the Agency to pressure us into making concessions.”

He concluded: “We will not yield to the IAEA's statement.”

َAlso, Behrouz Kamalvandi, Deputy Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) for International, Legal, and Parliamentary Affairs and spokesperson for the organization, stated on Thursday, June 12, in reaction to the resolution passed against Iran at the IAEA Board of Governors meeting: “This is not the first time a resolution has been issued against our country.”

Speaking with IRINN (Islamic Republic of Iran News Network), Kamalvandi emphasized: “We had previously warned that if a confrontational approach is taken, we will adjust our measures accordingly.”

He continued: “The head of the AEOI instructed colleagues to submit the design questionnaire for two important actions to the Agency, one of which is the launch of a third, highly secure enrichment site.”

The AEOI spokesperson explained: “We currently have two enrichment complexes, and this will be our third—one with extremely high security standards.”

He added: “Additionally, we will replace the first-generation centrifuges at the Shahid Ali Mohammadi (Fordow) enrichment facility with advanced sixth-generation machines. This means a significant increase in our production of enriched materials.”

Regarding cooperation with the IAEA, Kamalvandi noted: “Among the 32 countries with Comprehensive Safeguards Agreements with the Agency, Iran alone accounts for approximately 72% of IAEA inspections.”

He further stated: “We have always tried to provide the conditions for cooperation. Unfortunately, this effort has not received a proper or constructive response. Naturally, they should not expect us to maintain the same level of cooperation, and we will definitely reconsider this as well.”