In this photo released on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019 by the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, a truck containing cylinder of uranium hexafluoride gas leaves Ahmadi Roshan uranium enrichment facility in Natanz to Fordow nuclear facility in the early morning on Wednesday, for the purpose of injecting the gas into Fordo centrifuges. (AP)
ISTANBUL
— Iran’s recent steps away from the 2015 nuclear deal it struck with world
powers should compel the international community to intensify pressure on
Tehran, Secretary of State Mike Pomepo said in a statement Thursday.
The
top U.S. diplomat said that Iran’s “nuclear escalations” are aimed at extorting
the international community and that the United States “will never allow this
to happen.”
Iran
this week began injecting uranium gas into centrifuges at the Fordow enrichment
facility near the city of Qom. It was revealed as a covert site for Iranian
nuclear activities in 2009 and the nuclear deal prohibited Iran from enriching
uranium or even bringing fissile material onto the premises.
“It
is now time for all nations to reject this regime’s nuclear extortion and take
serious steps to increase pressure. Iran’s continued and numerous nuclear
provocations demand such action,” Pompeo said.
President
Trump withdrew from the multilateral agreement that restricted Iran’s nuclear
program in exchange for sanctions relief and reimposed a harsh embargo on the
Iranian economy a year ago.