Iran lawmakers treaten nuclear speed-up if Congress adds sanctions

In a gesture apparently intended as retaliation for congressional sanctions legislation, 100 members of Iran’s parliament have signed on to a resolution calling for an increase in uranium enrichment to 60% purity from a current 20%. The bill also would order activation of the partially built Arak heavy-water nuclear reactor, which could generate plutonium that could be used as bomb fuel.

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The lawmakers signed the bill and presented it to the parliament’s governing body, which could still block the bill.

Some U.S. advocates of sanctions maintain the Iranian threats are hollow. They say that because of the economic pressure created by past Western sanctions Tehran can’t afford to walk away from the upcoming negotiations to restrain its nuclear program.

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