Iran has amassed more highly enriched uranium, increasing its stockpile to near weapons-grade levels, the United Nations nuclear watchdog said Monday in a confidential report.
The report, seen by The Associated Press, said Iran’s supply of enriched uranium has reached 30 times more than the amount agreed upon in a 2015 deal between Tehran and world powers to limit Iran’s nuclear program.
Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium is more than 6,201.3 kilograms (13,671.5 pounds) — a 675.8 kilogram (1,489.8 pound) increase since the International Atomic Energy Agency’s last report in February.
Rafael Grossi, IAEA director and U.N. nuclear watchdog chief, warned last month that Iran has had enough highly enriched uranium for “several” nuclear bombs if it chooses to build them.
“The level of inspection [in Iran] is not at the level we should have,” he told Sky News in April.
Iranian officials have threatened they could pursue atomic weapons. Iran has said its nuclear program is peaceful.
The U.N. and Iran have not yet come to an agreement over a 2023 deal over expanding inspection of the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program.
The report said Monday that Tehran has not reconsidered its September decision to prevent the most experienced IAEA nuclear inspectors from monitoring its nuclear facilities, adding that it expects Iran “to do so in the context of the ongoing consultations between the agency and Iran.”
Tensions have heightened between the IAEA and Iran, and since former President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew America from Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers in 2018.
IAEA surveillance cameras have been disrupted, while Iran has barred some of the agency’s most experienced inspectors from its nuclear program.
Tehran launched an unprecedented drone and missile attack on Israel in April. The strike followed Israel’s apparent attack on an Iranian consular building in Syria that killed two Iranian generals and others.
Israel’s nuclear weapons program did not dissuade Iran’s assault. Experts suggest Iran could pursue a nuclear bomb after a major attack on the country.
Some information for this report came from The Associated Press and Agence France-Presse.
