Iran begins installation of IR6 centrifuges: report

TEHRAN -- Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) started the installation of IR6 centrifuges on Tuesday, official IRNA news agency reported.

The installation of a chain of 20 advanced IR6 centrifuges began in the Natanz enrichment facility in central Iran, following a decree of President Hassan Rouhani, said the report.

"We are happy to announce the installation of the IR6 centrifuges. This will be a big achievement for the Iranian nation," Rouhani was quoted as saying at a video conference.

With the installation of the centrifuges, subsequent tests will be carried out, according to the report.

In July 2018, Ali Akbar Salehi, head of the AEOI, said that Iran had set up a factory to manufacture rotors used in advanced centrifuge machines.

In February, Behrouz Kamalvandi, spokesman for the AEOI, said Iran was ready to boost the capacity of its uranium enrichment and to increase the level of enrichment to 20 percent of purity.

Under an international nuclear deal in 2015, which put an end to the Iranian controversial nuclear issue, Iran agreed to reduce the purity of its enriched uranium to 3 percent.

Following the withdrawal of Washington from the Iranian nuclear deal in May last year, Tehran has threatened that it might reconsider its approach to the deal, if other signatories fail to guarantee Iran's benefits from the accord.