“The Islamic Republic of Iran will produce 20-percent-enriched uranium as long and as much as Tehran needs it (the uranium),” Abbasi said on Tuesday.
“The production of 20-percent-enriched uranium for use in Tehran’s [Research] Reactor is the Iranian nation’s right and it will defend this right,” the head of the IAEO added.
“Twenty-percent enrichment is not an issue for the Westerners to agree to or oppose or even to seek a stance on,” the Iranian official said.
The United States, Israel and some of their allies have repeatedly accused Iran of pursuing non-civilian objectives in its nuclear energy program.
Iran argues that as a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), it is entitled to develop and acquire nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.
Abbasi went on to say that he did not believe there had been a shift in the approach of the P5+1 group (comprising Britain, China, France, Russia, and the US plus German) regarding Iran’s nuclear energy program.
“Given the statement that the representatives of the P5+1 read out at the meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors, apparently, their previous stance toward Iran has not altered.”
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