Tehran continues to violate the international agreement. Iran has increased its stockpile of enriched uranium in recent months, according to a report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The latter is made public while director Rafaël Grossi is expected in Tehran at the end of the week.
Stocks amounted to 3,760.8 kg on February 12 (against 3,673.7 kg in October), more than 18 times the limit authorized by the 2015 international agreement, according to this text consulted by AFP , a few days before a Board of Governors of the UN body.
83.7% enriched particles
The International Atomic Energy Agency has confirmed that it has detected 83.7% enriched uranium particles in Iran, just below the 90% needed to produce an atomic bomb, according to a report seen by AFP on Tuesday. .
“Discussions are still ongoing” to determine the origin of these particles, said the UN body, which thus confirms information given by diplomatic sources. Tehran for its part reported “involuntary fluctuations” during the enrichment process.
Tehran evokes “involuntary fluctuations”
The IAEA has requested “clarifications” and “discussions are still ongoing” to determine the origin of these particles, adds the report which will be presented next week at the IAEA Board of Governors in Vienna. Iran, which denies wanting to acquire atomic weapons, for its part reported “involuntary fluctuations” during the enrichment process, in a letter to the Agency.
Last week, Tehran claimed “not to have made any attempt to enrich beyond 60%”. “The presence of particles beyond 60% does not mean that there is an enrichment (of uranium) to more than 60%”, had reacted the spokesman of the Iranian Nuclear Energy Organization, Behrouz Kamalvandi. This information comes as negotiations to revive the agreement reached in 2015 to limit Iran’s atomic activities in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions have stalled.