Iran accelerates production of near weapons-grade uranium, IAEA says, as tensions with US ratchet up
Feb 26, 2025, 5:32 AM
FILE - A part of Arak heavy water nuclear facilities is seen near the central city of Arak, 150 miles (250 kilometers) southwest of the capital Tehran, Iran, Jan. 15, 2011. (Mehdi Marizad/Fars News Agency via AP, File)
Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS
(Mehdi Marizad/Fars News Agency via AP, File)
VIENNA (AP) 鈥� Iran has accelerated its production of near weapons-grade uranium as tensions between Tehran and Washington rise after the election of U.S. President Donald Trump, a report by the United Nations鈥� nuclear watchdog seen by The Associated Press on Wednesday showed.
The report by the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency said that as of Feb. 8, Iran has 274.8 kilograms (605.8 pounds) of uranium enriched up to 60%. That鈥檚 an increase of 92.5 kilograms (203.9 pounds) since the IAEA鈥檚 last report in November.
That material is a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%.
A report in November 2024 put the stockpile at 182.3 kilograms (401.9 pounds). It had 164.7 kilograms (363.1 pounds) last August.
鈥淭he significantly increased production and accumulation of high enriched uranium by Iran, the only non-nuclear weapon State to produce such nuclear material, is of serious concern,鈥� the confidential report stated. According to the IAEA, approximately 42 kilograms of 60% enriched uranium is theoretically enough to produce one atomic bomb, if enriched further to 90%.
The IAEA also estimated in its quarterly report that as of Feb. 8, Iran鈥檚 overall stockpile of enriched uranium stands at 8,294.4 kilograms (18,286 pounds), which represents an increase of 1,690.0 kilograms (3725.8 pounds) since the last report in November.
