UN agency: Iran increases its stockpile of highly enriched uranium

VIENNA — The UN’s atomic watchdog said on Thursday it believed Iran had further increased its stockpile of highly enriched uranium and criticized Tehran for continuing to bar agency officials from accessing or to monitor Iranian nuclear sites.

In its quarterly report, the International Atomic Energy Agency said that according to its assessment, as of October 22, Iran had approximately 62.3 kilograms (137.3 pounds) of uranium enriched to 60 % fissile purity. This represents an increase of 6.7 kilograms since the IAEA’s last report in September.

This 60% purity enrichment is a short technical step from military grade levels of 90%. Non-proliferation experts have warned in recent months that Iran now has enough 60% enriched uranium to reprocess it into fuel for at least one nuclear bomb.

The IAEA report, viewed by The Associated Press, also estimated that as of October 22, Iran’s stockpile of all enriched uranium was 3673.7 kilograms, a decrease of 267.2 kilograms since the last September quarterly report.

The Vienna-based IAEA said it was unable to verify the exact size of Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium due to limitations Tehran imposed on UN inspectors last year and the removal of the agency’s control and surveillance equipment in June from Iranian sites.

It has been nearly two years since IAEA officials had full access to monitor Iran’s nuclear sites, and five months since monitoring equipment was removed.

The IAEA assessment comes as efforts to revive the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, which eased sanctions on Iran in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program, are in full swing. dead point.

The United States unilaterally withdrew from the nuclear deal – officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA – in 2018 under President Donald Trump. He reimposed sanctions on Iran, prompting Tehran to start backing away from the terms of the deal.

The IAEA said in its report that Iran’s lack of cooperation would have a “significant impact” on the agency’s ability to regain knowledge of Iran’s activities since its cameras were removed in June.

“Any future baseline for JCPOA verification and monitoring activities would take considerable time to establish and would involve a degree of uncertainty,” the report said. “The longer the current situation persists, the greater this uncertainty becomes.”

A separate report, also seen by the AP, said IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi is “seriously concerned” that Iran has yet to engage in the investigation of the incident. agency on artificial uranium particles found at three undeclared sites in the country. The issue has become a key sticking point in talks for a renewed nuclear deal.

Grossi met with Mohammad Eslami, vice president and head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, in late September to discuss the matter. The second report released on Thursday said IAEA officials would travel to Tehran for a technical visit by the end of November.

This meeting, according to the IAEA report, “should aim to clarify and effectively resolve” the remaining safeguards issues.

The IAEA has been seeking answers to Iran for years on its particulate matter questions. US intelligence agencies, Western countries and the IAEA have said Iran had conducted an organized nuclear weapons program until 2003. Iran has long denied ever researching nuclear weapons, insisting that its nuclear program is peaceful.