Iran: Enriching uranium to 20 pct an option in next steps to reduce commitments
July 8, 2019, 9:00 am

Iran: Enriching uranium to 20 pct an option in next steps to reduce commitments

A picture shows the inside of reactor at the Russian-built Bushehr nuclear power plant in southern Iran. (File photo AFP)

Enriching uranium to 20 percent is an option for Iran’s third step in reducing its commitments to nuclear deal, an Iranian nuclear agency spokesman said on Monday.

Increasing the number of centrifuges is another option, the spokesman said, adding that restarting IR-2 and IR-2 m type centrifuges is also an option.

Iran warns Europe

Iran warned European countries on Monday against any escalatory response to its move to breach the uranium enrichment cap set by a landmark 2015 nuclear deal.

If European parties to the agreement “do certain strange acts then we would skip all the next steps (in the plan to scale back commitments) and implement the last one,” foreign ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said.

‘US did not allow Iranians to benefit’

The United States did not allow Iranian people to benefit from the landmark 2015 nuclear deal, Iranian Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri said on Monday, according to the IRIB news agency.

US President Donald Trump withdrew from the deal last year and reimposed sanctions, a move intended to push Iran to negotiate about its missile program and regional policy. Tensions spiked between Iran and the United States after the Islamic Republic shot down an American drone last month.

“The Americans did not allow Iranian people to benefit from the achievements of during the time they were in or after their exit,” Jahangiri said, according to IRIB.

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
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Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”