Iran to enrich 60% uranium: report
According to state media on Tuesday, Iran has begun enriching uranium at its subterranean Fordow nuclear facility to a purity of 60%, in response to the U.N. nuclear watchdog’s request for greater cooperation from Tehran.
According to state media on Tuesday, Iran has begun enriching uranium at its subterranean Fordow nuclear facility to a purity of 60%, in response to the U.N. nuclear watchdog’s request for greater cooperation from Tehran.
Iran is already enriching uranium elsewhere to up to 60% purity, which is higher than the 20% it produced prior to a 2015 agreement with major nations to curb enrichment at 3.67% but still far short of the 90% needed for material suitable for use in bombs.
The semi-official ISNA news agency said that Iran informed the IAEA in a letter that it has begun enriching uranium to 60% purity at the Fordow site. It added that this was a “strong response” to the agency’s most recent decision.
In a meeting held behind closed doors on Thursday, the 35-nation IAEA Board of Governors adopted a resolution directing Iran to expeditiously assist the organization’s probe into uranium traces discovered at three unregistered sites.
At its nuclear plants in Natanz and Fordow, Tehran will also be constructing a new set of centrifuges, according to the Iranian SNN network.
According to a June report from Reuters, Tehran was planning to utilise sophisticated IR-6 centrifuges at the Fordow plant, which can quickly switch between enrichment levels, as part of its ongoing uranium enrichment programme.
The investigation, which has become a barrier to discussions on reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal since Iran has asked the investigation be terminated, has been the subject of a second IAEA resolution this year that specifically targets Iran.