Trump Warns Iran Against Restarting Nuclear Program, Signals U.S. Readiness to Act 
Trump Says Greenland Framework Deal Gives U.S. “Everything It Wanted” 
U.S. Backs Iraq’s Move to Detain ISIS Fighters, Urges Global Repatriation 
United States Officially Exits World Health Organization, Raising Global Public Health Concerns 
Trump Administration Launches Immigration Enforcement Operation in Maine Amid Political Tensions 
Syria Announces Ceasefire With Kurdish Forces as U.S. Pushes Integration Deal 
Trump Drops Tariff Threat After NATO Talks on Greenland’s Future 
Trump Calls for Prosecution of Jack Smith After Congressional Testimony 
Ecuador Imposes 30% Tariff on Colombian Imports Amid Border Security Tensions 
NATO Chief Says Greenland Sovereignty Not Discussed as Trump Backs Off Tariff and Force Threats 
Trump Explains Bruised Hand, Cites High Aspirin Intake During Davos Trip 
Trump Signs Executive Order to Limit Wall Street Investment in Single-Family Homes 
New York Judge Orders Redrawing of GOP-Held Congressional District 
Somaliland President Meets Eric Trump and Israeli President at Davos to Seek Recognition and Investment 
Trump’s “Board of Peace” Gains Support from Middle East and Asian Nations 
Japan Government Bond Rout Deepens as Election Spending Fears Shake Markets 
Spain Pushes for EU Joint Army to Strengthen European Security and Deterrence 
The United Nations nuclear watchdog found that Iran continues to enrich its uranium with another set of its advanced IR-6 centrifuges. The continued enrichment of uranium also comes at a time when Iran and world powers are close to restoring the nuclear deal.
A report by the International Atomic Energy Agency obtained by Reuters found that Iran has started enriching uranium using the second of three cascades of advanced IR-6 centrifuges. The centrifuges being used are installed at an underground facility in Natanz.
Much like the first cascade, the second cascade of IR-6 centrifuges was enriching uranium to up to five percent fissile purity. The third cascade has yet to be fed with nuclear material. A separate report that was published Monday found the first cascade was brought onstream.
The latest report by the IAEA comes as Iran and world powers are close to restoring the 2015 nuclear deal. The United States, under Donald Trump, withdrew from the agreement in 2018 and instead imposed sanctions on Iran. Indirect negotiations between Tehran and Washington to restore the deal began last year.
White House National Security spokesperson John Kirby told reporters during a news briefing Wednesday that Washington remains to be hopeful of restoring the 2015 nuclear agreement, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. Kirby said the White House is “cautiously optimistic.”
“We do believe we’re closer now than we had been in certain weeks, due in large part of Iran being willing to drop some of their demands that were not related to the deal at all,” said Kirby. “So we’re cautiously optimistic that things can continue to move in the right direction.”
Iran’s foreign minister Hossein Amirabdollahian also said Wednesday that Tehran is seeking for stronger guarantees that the United States will not unilaterally withdraw from the deal again. Amirabdollahian added that the IAEA should drop its “politically motivated” probe into Iran’s nuclear program.
Amirabdollahian also said that Iran was reviewing the US response to the proposal by the European Union’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell that would restart the 2015 agreement.
“Iran is carefully reviewing the EU-drafted text…We need stronger guarantees from the other party to have a sustainable deal,” said Amirabdollahian.
