Iran called on the Group of Seven (G7) on Sunday to distance itself from “destructive policies of the past,” in response to a recent G7 statement condemning Iran’s escalation of its nuclear programme. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani emphasized that the G7 should not link the Ukraine war to Iran’s bilateral cooperation with Russia, calling such attempts politically motivated.
On Friday, the G7 warned Iran against advancing its nuclear enrichment programme and indicated they would consider new measures if Tehran transferred ballistic missiles to Russia. Kanaani dismissed these warnings, arguing that some countries use false claims to justify ongoing sanctions against Iran.
Last week, the U.N. nuclear watchdog’s 35-nation Board of Governors passed a resolution urging Iran to enhance cooperation with the agency and reverse its recent decision to bar inspectors. In response, Iran rapidly installed additional uranium-enriching centrifuges at its Fordow site and began setting up others, according to an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report.
Kanaani stated that Tehran remains committed to “constructive interaction and technical cooperation” with the IAEA but criticised the resolution as “politically biased.” Iran is currently enriching uranium to up to 60% purity, close to the 90% needed for weapons-grade material. According to the IAEA, Iran has enough uranium enriched to this level that, if further enriched, could be sufficient for three nuclear weapons.
