UN watchdog: Iran has increased stockpile of highly enriched uranium for nuclear weapons

United Nations' atomic watchdog on Wednesday warned that Iran has drastically increased its stockpile of highly enriched uranium in breach of the commitments made with the world’s governments under the 2015 nuclear deal. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) told member nations on Nov. 17 that its estimates of Iran’s nuclear stockpile as of November 6 have found that the Islamic Republic has been enriching uranium several times in excess of what was agreed by P5+1 in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) accord. 

Iran’s outgoing President Hassan Rouhani had warned earlier that the Islamic Republic could enrich Uranium up to 90% purity at weapons-grade if its nuclear reactors needed it. The 2015 nuclear deal coerced Tehran to scale back its nuclear or uranium enrichment program in exchange for economic relief and ease of trade embargo.

Former US president Donald Trump had unilaterally scrapped the deal over Iran’s non-compliance, but US President Joe Biden agreed to repeal nearly 1,040 Trump-era sanctions to bring Iran on the negotiation table. Head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, Mohammad Eslami had informed earlier last month that Iran has stockpiled more than 120 kilograms of enriched uranium as he accused the “western powers” who he said were meant to give Tehran enriched fuel at 20% to use in the Tehran reactor, but they haven’t done so. 

Iran’s nuclear stockpile stood at 2,489.7 kg on Nov 6

In its explosive confidential quarterly report on Wednesday, obtained by the agencies including Associated Press, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) stressed that Iran now has an estimated stock of 17.7 kilograms (39 pounds) of uranium enriched to up to 60 percent fissile purity, that increased by 8 kilograms since August. On Nov. 6, Iran’s nuclear stockpile stood at 2,489.7 kg, an alarming level that can be used to make atomic weapons, and also that is much higher as compared to the limits set in the 2015 agreement, the Vienna-based agency stated.

Although the exact quantity could not be defined by the IAEA as the agency has been unable to access surveillance footage of Tehran’s nuclear facilities via the online enrichment monitors and electronic seals since February after the country made these devices non-operational amid the ongoing talks in Vienna. 

In September, however, the IAEA had reached a deal wherein Tehran agreed to allow the United Nations to upkeep its monitoring cameras at Iranian nuclear sites in order to avert the deadlock in talks pertaining to the 2015 nuclear deal. The international inspectors will be able to install new memory cards into surveillance cameras and resume the video recording in a new diplomatic step forward, the IAEA said.