BICOM

Iran’s atomic energy chief said yesterday that Tehran has begun to shut down uranium-enriching centrifuges, in accordance with July’s nuclear deal. At the same time, Iranian lawmakers voted to continue vocalising the slogan “Death to America.”

A long-term nuclear deal was concluded in July between Iran and the P5+1 powers (US, UK, France, Russia, China and Germany). It will likely see Iran curb its nuclear programme during the coming decade or so in return for the loosening of international sanctions. However, critics of the agreement, including Israeli leaders have expressed concerns over monitoring of the deal and Tehran’s apparent freedom to resume its nuclear activities when the accord expires.

During a visit to Japan yesterday, Ali Akbar Salehi, head of Iran’s atomic agency told the Japanese NHK broadcaster that, “We have already started to take our measures vis-a-vis the removal of the centrifuge machines – the extra centrifuge machines. We hope in two months’ time we are able to exhaust our commitment.” However, 20 members of Iran’s parliament, considered hardliners, appeared to protest the move, sending a letter to President Hassan Rouhani which said, “Unfortunately in the last two days some contractors entered Fordo [nuclear facility] and started dismantling centrifuges… they said they could finish the job in two weeks.”

In a separate development yesterday, 192 of Iran’s 290-seat parliament approved a resolution which said, “The martyr-nurturing nation of Iran is not at all prepared to abandon the slogan of ‘Death to America’ under the pretext of a nuclear agreement.” The motion coincides with Iran’s commemoration of the 444-day hostage crisis after Iranian students stormed the US Embassy on 4 November 1979.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei appeared to echo the lawmakers’ sentiments on Sunday, when he declared, “America is the main part of the problem in the region, not part of the solution.” Khamenei added that American “policies differ 180 degrees with the policies of the Islamic republic,” highlighting Washington’s support for Israel.