U.S. envoy at the UN: Iran is enriching uranium to 60%, with ‘no credible civilian purpose’

The United States envoy to the United Nations, Mike Waltz, accused Iran of violating its nuclear obligations and refusing to give up its nuclear program, as Al Jazeera reports. “Iran broke the rules. They refused to give up their nuclear ambitions,” Waltz told the Security Council.

According to him, Tehran is enriching uranium to the 60% level, which “has no credible civilian purpose”, while inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have repeatedly been denied access to Iran. Waltz added that the IAEA Board of Governors referred Iran to the Security Council for non-compliance “just two weeks ago” and accused Iranian negotiators of continuing to reject demands to end the country’s nuclear program.

Tehran has rejected the accusations. Iranian officials say the country’s nuclear program is peaceful and that uranium enrichment is Iran’s right under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). They have also accused the IAEA of politicization and have dismissed the recent resolutions against the country as politically motivated.