• The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) will meet behind closed doors over Iran’s expansion of its stock of uranium close to weapons grade.

• The meeting was requested by six of the UNSC’s 15 members — France, Greece, Panama, South Korea, Britain and the US.

• They also want the UNSC to discuss Iran’s obligation to provide the International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN nuclear watchdog, with the information necessary to clarify outstanding issues related to undeclared nuclear material detected at multiple locations in Iran.

• Iran has denied wanting to develop a nuclear weapon.

• However, the IAEA has warned that Iran is accelerating enrichment of uranium to up to 60 per cent purity, close to the roughly 90 per cent weapons-grade level.

• Western states say there is no need to enrich uranium to such a high level under any civilian program and that no other country has done so without producing nuclear bombs.

• Iran says its nuclear program is peaceful.

Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)

• On July 14, 2015, the P5+1 (China, France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States), the European Union (EU), and Iran reached a Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) to ensure that Iran’s nuclear programme will be peaceful. 

• The United Nations Security Council endorsed the JCPOA signed in Vienna. 

• The JCPOA came into effect on October 18, 2015 and participants began taking steps necessary to implement their JCPOA commitments.

• The JCPOA ensures that Iran’s nuclear programme will be exclusively peaceful in return for the comprehensive lifting of UN, multilateral and national sanctions related to Iran’s nuclear programme.

• The JCPOA is a robust verifiable agreement that sets a series of strict limitations on Iran’s access to nuclear material and sensitive equipment. 

• In addition, the agreement gives the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) unprecedented access to monitor and verify Iran’s programme. 

• The agreement cut off Iran’s pathways to fissile material for a nuclear weapon, while ensuring the vigorous inspections and transparency necessary for verification. 

• The accord was aimed to reduce the number of Iran’s centrifuges by two-thirds and eliminate 98 per cent of its enriched uranium, going from a quantity enough to produce 10 nuclear weapons to a fraction of what was needed for a single nuclear weapon.

• In May 2018, the US, during the first term of President Donald Trump, pulled out of the accord, opting for a maximum pressure campaign of stepped-up US sanctions and other tough actions. 

• Iran responded by intensifying its enrichment of uranium and building of centrifuges, while maintaining its insistence that its nuclear development was for civilian and not military purposes. 

• Iran’s moves increased pressure on major world powers and raised tensions among US allies and strategic partners in the Middle East.

• Britain, France and Germany have told the UNSC that they are ready to trigger a so-called snap back of all international sanctions on Iran to prevent the country from acquiring a nuclear weapon.

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants.)