Enraged by top scientist's assassination, Iran passes bill to boost nuclear activity

The parliament of Iran on Sunday passed a new bill named "The strategic measure for the removal of sanctions" to boost the country's nuclear activities in the wake of the assassination of its nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh. 

Fakhrizadeh, a veteran physicist who was at the heart of Iran's nuclear research and defense activities, was killed in a bombing and shooting ambush outside Tehran on Friday. Iran's Parliament National Security and Foreign Policy Committee discussed the "strategic measure for the removal of sanctions" bill and approved three of its articles.

"Discussing articles of the Strategic Action Plan for the lifting of sanctions was on the agenda. In today's meeting, three articles of this plan were reviewed and the opinions of the representatives were obtained and amendments were made to the clauses. Representatives from the Foreign Ministry, the Central Bank, and the Parliamentary Research Center also attended the meeting," committee spokesman Abolfazl Amouei told a local newspaper.

READ | UN Chief Calls For Restraint Amid Rising Tension After Iranian Nuclear Scientist's Killing

According to Amouei, if the three articles discussed in the meeting were adopted, it would significantly increase Iran's nuclear activities. The bill envisages increasing the uranium enrichment level in the country to 20% or more. Such an amount of uranium is considered a weapon-grade one. Presently, Iran is enriching uranium at more than 4% while the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) has capped the level at 3.67%

The bill also seeks restoration of the Arak nuclear reactor, which was set to be redesigned to produce radioisotopes so that it does not produce weapons-grade plutonium under the JCPOA. Another provision of the bill compels Iran to abandon voluntary compliance with the Additional Protocol to the safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

As per the Iranian news agency, lawmakers assigned a double-urgency status to the bill and ratified it in a 232-14 vote at the session.

READ | US Hesitant To Speak On Iranian Assassination Amid Fears Of ‘ceaseless Escalation’

Mohsen Fakhrizadeh's assassination

Iran's top nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh was murdered in the outskirts of the capital city Tehran after gunmen attacked his car on Friday, November 27. According to the Associated Press, the attack took place in Absard, a village that is considered a retreat for the Iranian elite. The Islamic Republic's state media reported that minutes before Fakhrizadeh was ambushed, a truck ridden with explosives blew up near his car, forcing his sedan to stop. The reports added that at least five gunmen then emerged and started firing at Fakhrizadeh's car continuously, killing the scientist and his bodyguard.  

READ | Iranian Newspaper Calls For Attack On Israel As Revenge For Nuclear Scientist's Murder

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has accused Israel of killing Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, state TV reported on November 28. Calling it a “terrorist and desperate” act, the Shiite leader asserted that once again, the “evil hands of global arrogance” have been strained with the blood of the “mercenary usurper Zionist regime”. Furthermore, he said that Fakhrizadeh’s “martyrdom” reminded the depth of “enemies' malice and grudge”.

READ | Iran Writes To UN Asserting ‘right To Defend’ After Nuclear Scientist's Assassination

(With inputs from agency)