On Monday, the UN nuclear watchdog released a confidential report stating that Iran has increased its stockpile of uranium enriched to nearly weapons-grade levels. This is the most recent attempt by Tehran to gradually increase pressure on the international community.
Iran has sought for economic sanctions imposed over its controversial nuclear program to be 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.
It said that, according to AP’s report, Iran now holds 142.1 kg of uranium enriched up to 60% which is 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 current data submitted by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Iranian total quantity of enriched uranium stands at around 62013 kg which represents an increase of about six hundred seventy five point eight kilograms since last IAEA report.
According to IAEA definition, having nearly sixty percent enriched uranium weighing around forty two kilograms could theoretically allow one atomic weapon be made out of this material if it were further enriched to yield ninety percent as expected from typical weapons grade composition.
Iran has maintained that its nuclear programme is peaceful but already warned by Rafael Mariano Grossi who is International Atomic Energy Agency chief that there are several bombs’ worth of near-weapons-grade uranium with Iranians if they wanted them. He admitted agency does not possess any guarantee none centrifuges in Iran had been peeled off clandestine enrichment.
Additionally, Tehran has not changed its decision made in September 2023 about preventing nuclear inspectors from monitoring its nuclear activities which was also reported in latest IAEA findings. The said report mentioned that talks between IAEA and Iran have stalled following President Raisi’s death. Thus, within “approximately date, to be mutually agreed upon,” Iran has proposed that the in-house discussions on the cooperation between it and IAEA “take place in Tehran,” according to the report.
