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VIENNA (AP) — Iran has further accrued its stockpile of uranium enriched to adjacent weapons-grade levels, a confidential study by nan U.N. atomic watchdog said Saturday. In a abstracted report, nan agency called connected Tehran to urgently alteration people and comply pinch its years-long probe.
The study comes astatine a delicate time, arsenic nan management of U.S. President Donald Trump seeks to scope a woody pinch Tehran to limit its atomic program. The 2 sides person held respective rounds of talks, truthful acold without agreement.
The study by nan Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency — which was seen by The Associated Press — says that arsenic of May 17, Iran has amassed 408.6 kilograms (900.8 pounds) of uranium enriched up to 60%.
That’s an summation of 133.8 kilograms (294.9 pounds) — aliases almost 50% — since nan IAEA’s past study successful February. The 60% enriched worldly is simply a short, method measurement distant from weapons-grade levels of 90%. A study successful February put this stockpile level astatine 274.8 kilograms (605.8 pounds).
What does nan study say?
The IAEA study raised a stern warning, saying that Iran is now “the only non-nuclear-weapon authorities to nutrient specified material” — thing nan agency said was of “serious concern.”
Approximately 42 kilograms of 60% enriched uranium is theoretically capable to nutrient 1 atomic bomb, if enriched further to 90%, according to nan watchdog.
The IAEA report, a quarterly, besides estimated that arsenic of May 17, Iran’s wide stockpile of enriched uranium — which includes uranium enriched to little levels — stood astatine 9,247.6 kilograms (20,387.4 pounds). That’s an summation of 953.2 kilograms (2,101.4 pounds) since February’s report.
via Associated Press
Iran has maintained its atomic programme is for serene purposes only, but nan IAEA chief, Rafael Mariano Grossi, has warned that Tehran has capable uranium enriched to near-weapons-grade levels to make “several” atomic bombs if it chose to do so.
Iranian officials person progressively suggested that Tehran could prosecute an atomic bomb.
U.S. intelligence agencies measure that Iran has yet to statesman a weapons program, but has “undertaken activities that amended position it to nutrient a atomic device, if it chooses to do so.”
Iran is furious complete nan report
Iran’s Foreign Ministry and nan Atomic Energy Organization of Iran said successful a associated connection that nan IAEA study was based connected “unreliable and differing accusation sources” and accused it of being biased, unprofessional and lacking crucial, updated information.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran expresses its disappointment astir nan report, which was prepared by imposing unit connected nan agency for governmental purposes, and expresses its evident objection astir its content,” nan connection read.
The connection reiterated that nan country’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has last opportunity connected each authorities matters, issued a belief decree that atomic weapons would not beryllium portion of nan country’s defense arsenal. However, Iran stressed that nether world law, nan state has a correct to a serene atomic program, including uranium enrichment. The connection said nan uranium enrichment was nether “transparent” monitoring by nan IAEA, which nan IAEA denies.
The connection besides accused nan IAEA of turning a unsighted oculus toward nan U.S.’s 2018 withdrawal from nan atomic deal.
Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi, who is mediating nan U.S.-Iran talks was successful Tehran connected Saturday to coming nan latest U.S. connection for ongoing talks, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote connected X. The talks activity to limit Iran’s atomic programme successful speech for nan lifting of immoderate of nan crushing economical sanctions nan U.S. has imposed connected nan Islamic Republic, which person strained relations for almost 50 years. The fifth information of talks betwixt nan U.S. and Iran concluded successful Rome past week pinch “some but not conclusive progress,” al-Busaidi said astatine nan time.
Israel’s swift reaction
Israel said Saturday’s study was a clear informing motion that “Iran is wholly wished to complete its atomic weapons program,” according to a connection from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office.
It said IAEA’s study “strongly reinforces what Israel has been saying for years — nan intent of Iran’s atomic programme is not peaceful.”
It besides added that Iran’s level of enrichment “has nary civilian justification whatsoever” and appealed connected nan world organization to “act now to extremity Iran.”
It is uncommon for Netanyahu to make statements connected Saturday, nan Jewish time of rest, underlying nan urgency pinch which he sees nan matter.
Call for cooperation
Grossi said Saturday that he “reiterates his urgent telephone upon Iran to cooperate afloat and effectively” pinch nan IAEA’s years agelong investigation into uranium traces discovered astatine respective sites successful Iran.
The IAEA besides circulated to personnel states connected Saturday a second, 22-page confidential report, besides seen by nan AP, that Grossi was asked to nutrient pursuing a resolution passed by nan 35-member IAEA Board of Governors past November.
In this alleged “comprehensive report,” nan IAEA said that Iran’s practice pinch nan agency has “been little than satisfactory” erstwhile it comes to uranium traces discovered by IAEA inspectors astatine respective locations successful Iran that Tehran has grounded to state arsenic atomic sites.
Western officials fishy that nan uranium traces discovered by nan IAEA could supply grounds that Iran had a concealed subject atomic programme until 2003.
One of nan sites became known publically successful 2018 aft Netanyahu revealed it astatine nan United Nations and called it a clandestine atomic storage hidden astatine a rug-cleaning plant.
Iran denied this but successful 2019 IAEA inspectors detected nan beingness of manmade uranium particles there.
What is nan IAEA inspecting successful Iran?
After initially blocking IAEA access, inspectors were capable to cod samples successful 2020 from 2 different locations wherever they besides detected nan beingness of manmade uranium particles.
The 3 locations became known arsenic Turquzabad, Varamin and Marivan.
A 4th undeclared location named arsenic Lavisan-Shian is besides portion of nan IAEA probe but IAEA inspectors ne'er visited nan tract because it was razed and demolished by Iran aft 2003.
In Saturday’s broad report, nan IAEA says nan “lack of answers and clarifications provided by Iran” to questions nan watchdog had regarding Lavisan-Shian, Varamin and Marivan “has led nan agency to reason that these 3 locations, and different imaginable related locations, were portion of an undeclared system atomic programme carried retired by Iran until nan early 2000s and that immoderate activities utilized undeclared atomic material.”
via Associated Press
What’s next?
Saturday’s broad study could beryllium a ground for imaginable further steps by European nations, starring to a imaginable escalation successful tensions betwixt Iran and nan West.
European countries could move to trigger snap-back sanctions against Iran that were lifted nether nan original 2015 atomic woody up of October, erstwhile nan woody formally expires.
On Thursday, elder Iranian officials dismissed speculation astir an imminent atomic woody pinch nan United States, emphasizing that immoderate statement must afloat assistance sanctions and let nan country’s atomic programme to continue.
The comments came a time aft Trump said he has told Netanyahu to clasp disconnected connected striking Iran to springiness nan U.S. management much clip to push for a caller woody pinch Tehran.
White House property caput Karoline Leavitt said Saturday that Trump has made it clear that Iran tin ne'er get a atomic bomb.
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“Special Envoy Witkoff has sent a elaborate and acceptable connection to nan Iranian regime, and it’s successful their champion liking to judge it,” she said. “Out of respect for nan ongoing deal, nan Administration will not remark connected specifications of nan connection to nan media.”
___
Associated Press writers Nasser Karimi successful Tehran, Melanie Lidman successful Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Darlene Superville successful Washington contributed to this report.
