Near bomb-grade level uranium found in Iranian nuclear plant

• UN’s nuclear inspector claims that uranium particles have been discovered at an Iranian nuclear site.
• As the US warns that Tehran’s progress towards developing a nuclear weapon is quickening.
• Iran’s nuclear progress since the US withdrew has been remarkable.

The UN’s nuclear inspector claims that uranium particles that are almost bomb-grade have been discovered at an Iranian nuclear site.

As the US cautioned that Tehran’s progress towards developing a nuclear weapon is quickening.

The Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant (FFEP), an underground nuclear facility in Iran that is located about 20 miles northeast of the city of Qom, was found to have uranium particles enriched to 83.7% purity, which is close to the 90% enrichment levels required to make a nuclear bomb.

This information was revealed in a restricted report seen by media.

According to the report, environmental tests taken by the IAEA in January at the Fordow plant revealed the existence of high-enriched uranium particles with a purity of up to 83.7%.

The IAEA subsequently informed Iran that these findings were “inconsistent with the level of enrichment at the Fordow plant as declared by Iran and requested Iran to clarify the origins of these particles,” added the report.

According to the report, environmental tests taken by the IAEA in January at the Fordow plant revealed the existence of high-enriched uranium particles with a purity of up to 83.7%.

According to the private IAEA report, Iran’s stockpile of uranium that has been up to 60% enriched has increased from 25.2 kg to 87.5 kg since the last quarterly report.

The IAEA report said discussions with Iran to clarify the matter are ongoing, noting that “these events clearly indicate the capability of the IAEA to detect and report changes in the operation of nuclear facilities in Iran.”

Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, Iran’s foreign minister, did not explicitly address a question about the alleged enrichment in an exclusive interview with Christiane Amanpour on Tuesday.

Massimo Aparo, the IAEA’s deputy director general, visited Iran twice in the recent weeks, according to Amir-Abdollahian, who also revealed that Rafael Grossi, the organization’s director general, has been extended an invitation to go there.

“We have a roadmap with the IAEA. And on two occasions, Mr. [Massimo] Aparo, Mr. [Rafael] Grossi’s deputy, came to Iran in the past few weeks, and we had constructive and productive negotiations. And we have also invited Mr. Grossi to come and visit Iran soon,” Amir-Abdollahian told media. “Therefore our relationship with the IAEA is on its correct, natural path.”

Last year, Iran removed all of the IAEA equipment previously installed for surveillance and monitoring activities related to the nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

The move had “detrimental implications for the IAEA’s ability to provide assurance of the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program” the IAEA report stated.

A spokesperson for the US State Department stated on Tuesday that the IAEA assessment may represent a “very worrisome development.”

“We are in close contact with our allies and partners in Europe and the region as we await further details from the IAEA on this potentially very serious development,” added the spokesperson.

Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Colin Kahl on Tuesday said that “Iran’s nuclear progress since” the Trump administration withdrew the US from the 2015 nuclear deal “has been remarkable,” adding that in 2018, when the US withdrew, “it would have taken Iran about 12 months to produce one fissile, one bomb’s worth of fissile material.”

“Now it would take about 12 days,” he said.

In September 2022, informal talks between the US and Iran to try to revive the 2015 nuclear deal came to an end after more than a year.

After Iran’s crackdown on domestic protesters and as Tehran provided Russia with drones for the Ukraine war, tensions between the two nations only grew worse.

According to Kahl, the arrangement is “on ice” as of Tuesday.

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