Iran accelerates uranium enrichment, IAEA says

Iran accelerates uranium enrichment, IAEA says
TEHRAN, Feb. 26 (MNA) – 

EghtesadOnline: The report by the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency said that as of Feb. 8, Iran has 605.8 pounds of uranium enriched up to 60%. That’s an increase of 203.9 pounds since the IAEA’s last report in November, AP reported.

That material is a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%.

A report in November 2024 put the stockpile at 401.9 pounds. It had 363.1 pounds last August.

“The 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,” the confidential report stated. 

In 2018, Iran activated the dispute resolution mechanism within the Joint Commission of the JCPOA at the level of foreign ministers from the remaining signatories to the agreement. Consequently, the JCPOA members issued a statement outlining 11 commitments aimed at compensating for the economic damages caused by the United States’ unilateral withdrawal from the deal and re-imposition of sanctions against Iran. 

Iran honored its commitments under the JCPOA for a year following the US withdrawal, hoping to give European nations time to fulfill their promises to mitigate the impacts of Washington’s unilateral exit. Nevertheless, as European countries failed to meet their commitments, Iran began to reduce its obligations under the JCPOA in several stages.
Negotiations to resume the implementation of the JCPOA have been held over eight rounds in Vienna, with representatives from the remaining signatories of the deal, the European Union, and Iran participating. The US delegation took part in the discussions indirectly.

However, the talks have stalled due to factors such as contradictions in behavior, delays in decision-making, excessive demands, and new requests from the United States. / Mehr