Iran has further increased its total stockpile of uranium, UN nuclear watchdog report says

Iran has further increased its total stockpile of uranium, according to a report by the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog seen by The Associated Press on Monday, and continues to bar several of the most seasoned inspectors from monitoring its nuclear program.

The International Atomic Energy Agency also said in a second confidential report, distributed to member states, that Tehran made no progress in explaining the presence of manmade uranium particles found at two locations.

The IAEA estimated in its quarterly report that as of Feb. 10, Iran’s total enriched uranium stockpile was at 5,525.5 kilograms (about 12,182 pounds), an increase of 1,038.7 kilograms (2,289 pounds) since the last quarterly report in November 2023. It also said that according to its assessment, Iran has an estimated 121.5 kilograms (267.8 pounds) of uranium enriched up to 60% purity, which represents a decrease of 6.8 kilograms (14.9 pounds) since the last report in November 2023.

The decrease is the result of Iran having diluted some of its 60% enriched uranium in recent weeks with lower-grade material.

According to the IAEA’s definition, around 42 kilograms (92.5 pounds) of uranium enriched to 60% is the amount at which creating one atomic weapon is theoretically possible. The 60% purity is just a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%.

Between June and November last year, Iran slowed down the enrichment to 3 kilograms (6.6 pounds) per month, but then increased the rate again to 9 kilograms (19.8 pounds) at the end of the year, the IAEA reported.

Under the original nuclear deal with world powers in 2015, Iran was allowed to enrich uranium only up to 3.67% purity, maintain a stockpile of uranium of 300 kilograms (661 pounds),