Iran’s decision to begin manufacturing enriched uranium at a highly protected underground bunker was sharply criticised by western powers yesterday, amid suspicions the move marks another development in the Islamic state’s drive to build an atomic weapon.
As Iran confirmed it had started enriching uranium at the Fordow plant near the holy city of Qom, Britain expressed anger at the move, warning that it was “a provocative act that undermines claims that the programme is civilian in nature”.
Germany’s foreign ministry described Iran’s new nuclear-enrichment activities as a “further escalation” and said it was confident the European Union would raise more sanctions this month on the country’s oil exports.