VIENNA: Iran has further increased its stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels, according to a confidential report on Monday by the UN nuclear watchdog, the latest in Tehran’s attempts to steadily exert pressure on the international community.
Iran is seeking to get economic sanctions imposed over it’s controversial nuclear programme lifted in exchange for slowing it down.This is all under the guidance of Iran’s supreme leader and likely won’t change after the helicopter crash that killed Iran’s president and foreign minister.
The report, seen by AP, said Iran now has 142.1 kg of uranium enriched up to 60% – an increase of 20.6 kg since the last report by the watchdog in Feb. Uranium enriched at 60% purity is just a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%. According to the report, Iran’s overall stockpile of enriched uranium at the current moment stands at 6,201.3 kg, which represents an increase of 675.8 kg since the last report by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
According to the IAEA’s definition, around 42 kg of uranium enriched to 60% is the amount at which creating one atomic weapon is theoretically possible – if the material is enriched further to weapons-grade levels of 90%.
Iran has maintained its nuclear programme is peaceful, but the IAEA chief, Rafael Mariano Grossi, has already warned that Tehran has enough uranium enriched to near-weapons-grade levels to make “several” nuclear bombs if it chose to do so. He has acknowledged the agency cannot guarantee that none of Iran’s centrifuges may have been peeled away for clandestine enrichment.
The latest IAEA report also said that Tehran has not reconsidered its Sept 2023 decision to bar nuclear inspectors from monitoring its nuclear programme. The report also said that the death of Iran’s Prez Raisi have triggered a pause in the IAEA’s talks with Tehran over improving cooperation. Iran has suggested that discussions related to the cooperation between the IAEA and Iran “be continued in Tehran on an appropriate date that will be mutually agreed upon,” the report said.
Iran is seeking to get economic sanctions imposed over it’s controversial nuclear programme lifted in exchange for slowing it down.This is all under the guidance of Iran’s supreme leader and likely won’t change after the helicopter crash that killed Iran’s president and foreign minister.
The report, seen by AP, said Iran now has 142.1 kg of uranium enriched up to 60% – an increase of 20.6 kg since the last report by the watchdog in Feb. Uranium enriched at 60% purity is just a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%. According to the report, Iran’s overall stockpile of enriched uranium at the current moment stands at 6,201.3 kg, which represents an increase of 675.8 kg since the last report by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
According to the IAEA’s definition, around 42 kg of uranium enriched to 60% is the amount at which creating one atomic weapon is theoretically possible – if the material is enriched further to weapons-grade levels of 90%.
Iran has maintained its nuclear programme is peaceful, but the IAEA chief, Rafael Mariano Grossi, has already warned that Tehran has enough uranium enriched to near-weapons-grade levels to make “several” nuclear bombs if it chose to do so. He has acknowledged the agency cannot guarantee that none of Iran’s centrifuges may have been peeled away for clandestine enrichment.
The latest IAEA report also said that Tehran has not reconsidered its Sept 2023 decision to bar nuclear inspectors from monitoring its nuclear programme. The report also said that the death of Iran’s Prez Raisi have triggered a pause in the IAEA’s talks with Tehran over improving cooperation. Iran has suggested that discussions related to the cooperation between the IAEA and Iran “be continued in Tehran on an appropriate date that will be mutually agreed upon,” the report said.
