Iran has further increased its stockpile of near-weapons-grade uranium, UN says – The Times Herald
By STEPHANIE LIECHTENSTEIN
VIENNA (AP) — Iran has further increased its stockpile of nearly weapons-grade uranium despite international demands, according to a confidential report by the United Nations nuclear watchdog on Thursday.
According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report, Iran had 164.7 kilograms (363.1 pounds) of uranium enriched up to 60 percent as of August 17, an increase of 22.6 kilograms (49.8 pounds) since the IAEA’s last report in May.
From a weapons-grade uranium content of 90 percent, it is technically only a small step to obtain uranium enriched up to 60 percent.
The IAEA report, obtained by the Associated Press, said Tehran had also not reconsidered its September 2023 decision to ban the most experienced nuclear inspectors from monitoring its nuclear program, and that IAEA surveillance cameras continued to be disrupted.
The report further said that Iran has yet to provide answers to the nuclear watchdog’s years-long investigation into the origin and current location of man-made uranium particles found at two sites that Tehran has not declared as potential nuclear sites. The sites are known as Varamin and Turquzabad.
The IAEA report comes just days after Iran’s supreme leader opened the door to new negotiations with the United States over his country’s rapidly advancing nuclear program, telling the civilian government that there was “no harm” in engaging with the “enemy.”
With his remarks on Tuesday, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei set clear red lines for all talks under the new government of reform-minded President Masoud Pezeshkian and reiterated his warning that Washington cannot be trusted.
According to the IAEA, Iran’s total stockpile of enriched uranium as of August 17 was 5,751.8 kilograms (12,681 pounds).
The report acknowledges that the IAEA was informed before the Iranian elections in June “that further cooperation with the agency would be decided by the new Iranian government.”
The IAEA congratulated Pezeshkian on his election and offered to send the agency chief to Tehran “to resume dialogue and cooperation between the agency and Iran,” the report said.
But although the newly elected Iranian president confirmed his “agreement to a meeting” with the IAEA chief, no talks on the issue have taken place since then.
The IAEA report also said the agency confirmed on August 26 that Tehran had completed the installation of eight cascades of IR-6 centrifuges at its underground power plant in Fordo, as well as the installation of 10 of the 18 planned cascades of IR-2m centrifuges in Natanz, where two more centrifuges are currently being installed.
Under the original 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, Iran was only allowed to enrich uranium to 3.67% using a limited number of its first-generation centrifuges at Natanz. The more modern centrifuge models enriched uranium much faster than the conventional IR-1 centrifuges.
Originally published:
