April 12
Sanctions: The European Union sanctioned eight Iranian security officials involved in a deadly crackdown on protesters in November 2019. The travel bans and asset freezes were the first E.U. human rights sanctions on Iran since 2013.
Diplomacy:
Speaking in a meeting with Iraqi national security advisor Qasim Mohammad Jalal al-Araji Hussaini, @JZarif stressed #Iran’s priority for developing relations with neighbors and described #Iraq as a countries which has various relations with Iran. pic.twitter.com/uEyjFENv0n
— IranGov.ir (@Iran_GOV) April 12, 2021
April 13
Health: Iran hit a new high of 24,760 new COVID-19 infections. Nearly 300 cities were classified as highest-risk "red zones."
Diplomacy: The United States and Israel held a sound round of strategic talks on Iran, Axios reported. The group - co-chaired by U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and Israeli National Security Adviser Meir Ben Shabbat - met virtually ahead of continued diplomatic talks in Vienna on the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.
Nuclear: Iran said that it will begin enriching uranium to 60 percent, the highest level of enrichment that it has publicly acknowledged. The move would be a major breach of the 2015 nuclear deal and brought Tehran closer to having weapons grade uranium. Iran also planned to install 1,000 additional centrifuges at Natanz.
April 14
Nuclear: IAEA inspectors visited the Natanz nuclear enrichment site three days after an explosion damaged centrifuges at the facility and one day after Iran said it would begin enriching uranium up to 60 percent. The U.N. watchdog said that it would report new developments on Iran's nuclear program to its Board of Governors.
Diplomacy:
I wrote to @rafaelmgrossi:
— Gharibabadi (@Gharibabadi) April 14, 2021
Any armed attack on and threat against nuclear facilities devoted to peaceful purposes constitutes a violation of the principles of the UN Charter, international law and the Statute of the IAEA. pic.twitter.com/u5GxQBfD6H