Israel urges int'l action against Iran's uranium enrichment

Tel Aviv, Jan 5 (IANS) Israel has urged the international community to take "a determined response" against Iran after the latter announced that it will increase its uranium enrichment level.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Monday that Iran's announcement on the resumption of 20 per cent uranium enrichment "should serve as a wake-up call for advocates of a peaceful approach to Iran", reports Xinhua news agency.

In the statement, Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi called on the international community "not to put up with Iran's defiant moves."

He said that Iran's announcement "requires a determined and immediate response".

Earlier on Monday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a separate statement that Tehran's announcement could be only explained as an "intention to develop a military nuclear program".

"Israel will not allow Iran to manufacture nuclear weapons," he said.

On Monday, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) announced that the 20 per cent enriched uranium has started to be available at its Fordow facility.

The enrichment started at the Fordow facility and has reached the stability level, Behrouz Kamalvandi, spokesman of AEOI, announced on state TV.

The uranium is being obtained in two enrichment cascades, he added.

While the 20 per cent enrichment used to take 24 hours, new methods adopted by Iranian technicians enable the process to be completed in 12 hours, Kamalvandi noted.

Iran already developed the ability to produce 20 per cent enriched uranium after it was denied the supply of uranium fuel in 2010, the spokesman said.

The enrichment process was launched as part of Iran's Strategic Action Plan to Counter Sanctions which was approved by Parliament in December 2020, according to Kamalvandi.