Iran accelerates highly enriched uranium production: UN watchdog

VIENNA, Austria: Iran has further stepped up its production of highly enriched uranium, according to a confidential UN nuclear watchdog report, as Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Saturday that Tehran deems nuclear weapons “unacceptable”.

According to the latest report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) seen by AFP, Iran has sharply increased its stockpile of uranium enriched to up to 60 percent, close to the roughly 90 percent level needed for atomic weapons.

It said in its quarterly report that Iran has an estimated amount of 408.6 kilogrammes enriched to up to 60 percent as of May 17, up by 133.8 kilogrammes since the last report in February.

Iran’s total amount of enriched uranium now exceeds 45 times the limit authorised by the 2015 agreement with world powers, and is estimated at 9,247.6 kilogrammes.

“The significantly increased production and accumulation of highly enriched uranium by Iran, the only non-nuclear weapon State to produce such nuclear material, is of serious concern,” the IAEA said.

In a separate in-depth report, the IAEA criticised “less than satisfactory” cooperation from Tehran over its scrutiny of its nuclear programme, specifically noting Iran’s lack of progress in explaining nuclear material found at undeclared sites.

Also read: Iran’s near-bomb-grade uranium stock jumps: IAEA say

The report comes as Tehran pursues delicate negotiations with the United States on its nuclear programme.

Western governments have long suspected Iran of seeking to develop a nuclear weapons capability to counter the widely suspected but undeclared arsenal of its arch-foe, Israel.

Following the IAEA report, Israel on Saturday accused Iran of being “totally determined” to acquire nuclear weapons.

“Such a level of enrichment exists only in countries actively pursuing nuclear weapons and has no civilian justification whatsoever,” a statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said.

Araghchi however reaffirmed the country’s longstanding position, saying that Tehran considers nuclear weapons “unacceptable”.

“If the issue is nuclear weapons, yes, we too consider this type of weapon unacceptable,” Araghchi, Iran’s lead negotiator in the talks, said in a televised speech. “We agree with them on this issue.”

Araghchi’s remarks came a day after US President Donald Trump said Iran “cannot have a nuclear weapon”, while expressing hope of striking a deal soon.

On Thursday, Araghchi hit out at what he called “media speculation” that the two sides were close to an agreement, saying he was “not sure if” a deal is “imminent”.

Iran has held five rounds of talks with the United States in search of a new agreement to replace the deal with major powers that Trump abandoned during his first term in 2018.

No date or venue has yet been announced for the next round but Araghchi said Wednesday he expected an announcement from mediator Oman in the “next few days”.

The two governments are at odds over Iran’s uranium enrichment programme, which Washington has said must cease, but which Tehran insists is its right under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Nonetheless, Trump said Wednesday that “we’re having some very good talks with Iran”, adding that he had warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against striking its nuclear facilities as it would not be “appropriate right now”.

Israel has repeatedly threatened military action, after pummelling Iranian air defences during two exchanges of fire last year.

Trump has not ruled out military action but said he wants space to make a deal first, and has also said that Israel, and not the United States, would take the lead in any such strikes.

Trump adopted a “maximum pressure” policy against Tehran after abandoning the 2015 agreement and reimposed the sweeping sanctions which the deal had lifted in return for UN-monitored restrictions on Iran’s nuclear activities.

Iran continued to honour the agreement for a year, but then began rolling back its own compliance with its terms.

Iran has since built up the largest stockpile of highly enriched uranium of any state without a nuclear arsenal.

Uranium enriched to up to 60 percent is far beyond the 3.67 percent limit set by the 2015 agreement.

In recent days, Tehran has said that if a deal is reached, it may consider allowing US inspectors to join the teams from the UN nuclear watchdog monitoring compliance with its terms.

Nuclear chief Mohammad Eslami said Iran “will reconsider accepting American inspectors through the (IAEA) Agency” if “an agreement is reached and Iran’s demands are taken into account”.