The United Nations’ International Atomic Energy Agency reported Wednesday that Iran now has an estimated 17.7 kilograms (39 pounds) of uranium enriched at up to 60% fissile purity, a level that can easily be refined to make atomic weapons, The Associated Press (AP) reports.
Iran has increased its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, defying commitments made under the 2015 nuclear deal, the United Nations nuclear watchdog said in its latest report.
The head of the UN nuclear watchdog said Friday it was “astonishing” that he has had no contact with the new Iranian government over several important outstanding issues since it took office.
The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said that Iranian non-cooperation means that the organization’s ongoing oversight of the country’s nuclear program is “no longer intact” in an interview with NBC News aired Saturday.
The head of the United Nations’ atomic watchdog plans to visit Iran before the end of next month, amid questions about whether Iran will return to negotiations aimed at reviving the languishing 2015 nuclear deal.
Iran on Tuesday rejected calls by the United States and European Union to allow inspectors access to a nuclear site that was damaged during a sabotage attack in June that the Islamic Republic blamed on Israel.
The European Union and United States on Monday urged Iran to allow inspectors access to a nuclear site, while Tehran argued the facility was exempt from a recent agreement with the United Nations watchdog.
Iran violated an agreement allowing inspectors to service monitoring equipment in the country’s nuclear facilities, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) announced Sunday.
Iran can enrich enough weapons-grade uranium within a month of deciding to do so, the Institute for Science and International Security estimates in a report published Monday.
In a move heightening international tensions, North Korea tested long-range cruise missiles over the weekend, the reclusive communist state confirmed Monday.
“Israel takes very seriously the situation reflected in the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) report released this week on the Iranian nuclear issue,” Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said on Friday.
Foreign Minister Yair Lapid said on Thursday that Iran’s nuclear program is not only an issue for Israel but the entire world as well.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) says Iran is blocking access to some of its nuclear sites and continues to boost its stocks of uranium enriched above the percentage allowed in its hobbled 2015 deal with world powers.
The United Nations nuclear watchdog warned Monday that nuclear-armed North Korea appears to have restarted its plutonium-producing reprocessing reactor.
Britain, France, and Germany — three of the signatories of a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers — have expressed serious concern over the UN’s nuclear watchdog reporting that Tehran has produced uranium metal and stepped up production of weapons-grade enriched uranium in violation of the deal.
Iran is rapidly moving towards nuclear arms capabilities, with a report suggesting that it accelerated its enrichment of uranium to near weapons-grade.
The United States and Europe warned Iran to stop nuclear “brinksmanship” and European powers expressed “grave concern” over Iran’s latest moves to enrich uranium, saying it would complicate its return to talks aimed at restarting the 2015 nuclear accord.
Iran said Sunday it will not hand over images from some Iranian nuclear sites to the UN nuclear watchdog, as the monitoring agreement between the sides has expired, according to state media.
International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi announced Monday that the Iranian government has failed to answer questions about the discovery of uranium particles at three sites that may have been connected to Iran’s nuclear program, the Times of Israel reports. Grossi called on Iran to provide the required information without further delay.
Iran holds a quantity of low enriched uranium nearly 16 times higher than the limit authorized in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, according to a report Monday by the International Atomic Energy Agency.