"We continued to keep the IAEA Board of Governors and the Security Council informed of developments related to the implementation by Iran of its commitments under the JCPOA [Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action], including the latest ones, on the installation of new advanced centrifuges and enrichment related activities. I have just informed the IAEA Board about the resumption of uranium enrichment at Fordow", Cornel said at a plenary meeting of the 74th Regular Session of the United Nations General Assembly, as quoted by an IAEA statement.
The acting IAEA head stressed the importance of Iran's cooperation with the agency for clarifying all existing issues concerning its nuclear programme.
In a joint statement, France, Britain, and Germany have expressed ''extreme'' concern about the resumption of uranium enrichment activities at Iran's Fordow underground facility and urged Tehran to return to full implementation of its commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
According to E3 top diplomats and EU diplomacy chief Federica Mogherini, "Iran's action is inconsistent with the JCPOA's clear provisions on Fordow and has potentially severe proliferation implications. It represents a regrettable acceleration of Iran's disengagement from commitments under the JCPOA".
Paris, Berlin, and London also called on Iran to fully cooperate with the IAEA within the framework of the JCPOA and in accordance with all its nuclear obligations, in particular, its Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement and the Additional Protocol.
Iran announced the gradual reduction of its JCPOA obligations on 8 May, which marked the first anniversary of the United States' unilateral pullout from the nuclear pact. Tehran then said that it would start abandoning some parts of its nuclear obligations every 60 days unless European signatories to the deal ensured Iran's interests amid Washington's reinstated sanctions.
Last week, Iran embarked on the fourth stage of curtailing its commitments. According to the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, the country plans to enrich uranium to 4.5 percent at the Fordow nuclear facility.
Iran has repeatedly stressed its readiness to reverse these steps if European signatories to the deal ensure the country's interests, first of all, those economic, amid Washington's reinstated sanctions.
