Iran tests new advanced centrifuge amid nuke deal talks

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran said Saturday it has begun mechanical tests on its newest advanced nuclear centrifuge, even as the five world powers that remain in a foundering 2015 nuclear deal with Iran attempt to bring the U.S. back into the agreement.

Iran’s IR-9 centrifuge, when operational, would have the ability to separate uranium isotopes more quickly than the centrifuges being used, thereby enriching uranium at a faster pace. The announcement carried on state TV came on Iran’s 15th annual “Nuclear Day.”

The IR-9’s output is 50 times quicker than the first Iranian centrifuge, the IR-1. The country also announced it had launched a chain of 164 IR-6 centrifuges on Saturday and is also developing IR-8 centrifuges.

Since January, Iran has begun enriching uranium at up to 20% purity, a technical step away from weapons-grade levels, though Iran’s leadership insists the country has no desire to develop a nuclear weapon.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump pulled the U.S. out of the nuclear accord in 2018, accusing Iran of failing to live up to the agreement, opting for stepped-up U.S. sanctions.

Iran responded by intensifying its enrichment of uranium and building centrifuges in violation of the accord, while insisting that its nuclear development is for civilian not military purposes.

Iran’s stockpile of 20% enriched uranium has reached 121 pounds, moving its nuclear program closer to weapons-grade enrichment levels. The amount of the material was just over 37 pounds in January.

Iran has installed 1,000 IR-2 centrifuge machines and one cascade of 164 IR-4 machines. Both are in operation and have more speed than the IR-1 machines.