Iran has further increased its stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels, a confidential report by the UN nuclear watchdog said Saturday and called on Tehran to urgently change course and comply with the agency\u2019s probe. <\/p>\n
The report comes at a sensitive time as Tehran and Washington have been holding several rounds of talks in the past weeks over a possible nuclear deal that US President Donald Trump is trying to reach. <\/p>\n
The report by the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency \u2014 which was seen by The Associated Press \u2014 says that as of May 17, Iran has amassed 408.6 kilograms (900.8 pounds) of uranium enriched up to 60%. <\/p>\n
That\u2019s an increase of 133.8 kilograms (294.9 pounds) \u2014 or almost 50% \u2014 since the IAEA\u2019s last report in February. The 60% enriched material is a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%. A report in February put this stockpile level at 274.8 kilograms (605.8 pounds). <\/p>\n
There was no immediate comment from Tehran on the new IAEA report. <\/p>\n
The IAEA report raised a stern warning, saying that Iran is now \u201cthe only non-nuclear-weapon state to produce such material\u201d \u2014 something the agency said was of \u201cserious concern.\u201d <\/p>\n
Approximately 42 kilograms of 60% enriched uranium is theoretically enough to produce one atomic bomb, if enriched further to 90%, according to the watchdog. <\/p>\n
The IAEA report, a quarterly, also estimated that as of May 17, Iran\u2019s overall stockpile of enriched uranium \u2014 which includes uranium enriched to lower levels \u2014 stood at 9,247.6 kilograms (20,387.4 pounds). That\u2019s an increase of 953.2 kilograms (2,101.4 pounds) since February\u2019s report. <\/p>\n
Iran has maintained its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only, but the IAEA chief, Rafael Mariano Grossi, has warned that Tehran has enough uranium enriched to near-weapons-grade levels to make \u201cseveral\u201d nuclear bombs if it chose to do so. <\/p>\n
Iranian officials have increasingly suggested that Tehran could pursue an atomic bomb. <\/p>\n
US intelligence agencies assess that Iran has yet to begin a weapons program, but has \u201cundertaken activities that better position it to produce a nuclear device, if it chooses to do so.\u201d <\/p>\n
Israel said Saturday\u2019s report was a clear warning sign that \u201cIran is totally determined to complete its nuclear weapons program,\u201d according to a statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu\u2019s office. <\/p>\n
It said IAEA\u2019s report \u201cstrongly reinforces what Israel has been saying for years \u2014 the purpose of Iran\u2019s nuclear program is not peaceful.\u201d <\/p>\n
It also added that Iran\u2019s level of enrichment \u201chas no civilian justification whatsoever\u201d and appealed on the international community to \u201cact now to stop Iran.\u201d <\/p>\n
Grossi said Saturday that he \u201creiterates his urgent call upon Iran to cooperate fully and effectively\u201d with the IAEA\u2019s years long investigation into uranium traces discovered at several sites in Iran. <\/p>\n
The IAEA also circulated to member states on Saturday a second, 22-page confidential report, also seen by the AP, that Grossi requested following a resolution passed by the 35-member IAEA Board of Governors last November. <\/p>\n
In this so-called \u201ccomprehensive report,\u201d the IAEA said that Iran\u2019s cooperation with the agency has \u201cbeen less than satisfactory\u201d when it comes to uranium traces discovered by IAEA inspectors at several locations in Iran that Tehran has failed to declare as nuclear sites. <\/p>\n
Western officials suspect that the uranium traces discovered by the IAEA could provide evidence that Iran had a secret military nuclear program until 2003. <\/p>\n
One of the sites became known publicly in 2018 after Netanyahu revealed it at the United Nations and called it a clandestine nuclear warehouse hidden at a rug-cleaning plant. <\/p>\n
Iran denied this but in 2019 IAEA inspectors detected the presence of manmade uranium particles there. <\/p>\n
After initially blocking IAEA access, inspectors were able to collect samples in 2020 from two other locations where they also detected the presence of manmade uranium particles. <\/p>\n
The three locations became known as Turquzabad, Varamin, and Marivan. <\/p>\n
A fourth undeclared location named as Lavisan-Shian is also part of the IAEA probe but IAEA inspectors never visited the site because it was razed and demolished by Iran after 2003. <\/p>\n
In Saturday\u2019s comprehensive report, the IAEA says that the \u201clack of answers and clarifications provided by Iran\u201d to questions the watchdog had regarding Lavisan-Shian, Varamin and Marivan \u201chas led the agency to conclude that these three locations, and other possible related locations, were part of an undeclared structured nuclear program carried out by Iran until the early 2000s and that some activities used undeclared nuclear material.\u201d <\/p>\n
Saturday\u2019s comprehensive report could be a basis for possible further steps by European nations, leading to a potential escalation in tensions between Iran and the West. <\/p>\n
European countries could move to trigger snap-back sanctions against Iran that were lifted under the original 2015 nuclear deal ahead of October, when the deal formally expires. <\/p>\n
On Thursday, senior Iranian officials dismissed speculation about an imminent nuclear deal with the United States, emphasizing that any agreement must fully lift sanctions and allow the country\u2019s nuclear program to continue. <\/p>\n
The comments came a day after Trump said he has told Netanyahu to hold off on striking Iran to give the US administration more time to push for a new deal with Tehran. <\/p>\n
Trump said on Friday that he still thinks a deal could be completed in the \u201cnot too distant future.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cThey don\u2019t want to be blown up. They would rather make a deal,\u201d Trump said of Iran. He added, \u201cThat would be a great thing that we could have a deal without bombs being dropped all over the Middle East.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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