Iran has enough uranium enriched to 60 percent purity, about the size of three atomic bombs as defined by the International Atomic Energy Agency, and is still obstructing the agency on key issues, classified IAEA reports showed Wednesday.
Iran’s stockpile of uranium enriched to 60 percent has risen by 6.7 kilograms to 128.3 kilograms since the last report on September 4, according to one of two reports to member states seen by Reuters.
That is more than three times the roughly 42 kg (92.6 pounds) that by the IAEA’s definition is theoretically enough, if enriched further, for a nuclear bomb.
“That’s quite an amount, especially if you don’t use it for anything,” a senior diplomat said, referring to the fact Iran is the only country to enrich to such a high level without producing nuclear weapons. Weapons-grade is around 90%.
That’s more than three times the roughly 42 kilograms that the IAEA defines as theoretically enough, if further enriched, for a nuclear bomb.
About 90 percent purity is required for the production of weapons.
In another report released Tuesday, the agency said there was still no progress on two pressing issues in Iran — reinstalling additional surveillance equipment after it was removed on Tehran’s orders last year, and getting answers about the origin of uranium particles found at two undeclared sites.
Iran has enough uranium enriched to lower levels for more bombs, but it denies seeking such weapons.
The rate at which Iran is enriching to 60%, however, has slowed to around 3 kg (6.6 pounds) a month from 9 kg (19.8 pounds) earlier this year, which diplomats said is the apparent result of indirect negotiations with the United States that led to a prisoner exchange between the two countries in September.
It is the second consecutive time that the quarterly reports of the IAEA state that there is no progress on any issue, reports Reuters.
