Iran Increases Near Weapons-Grade Uranium Stockpile Despite US Efforts To Reach Nuclear Deal
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Iran increased production of enriched uranium despite ongoing talks over a nuclear deal with the US, which has threatened to bomb Tehran's nuclear facilities if diplomacy fails.
Iran has further increased its stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels, according to a confidential report by the UN nuclear watchdog on Saturday, despite Tehran holding several rounds of talks with the Trump administration in the US over a possible nuclear deal.
The report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which was seen by The Associated Press, said Iran has amassed 408.6 kg of uranium enriched up to 60% – an increase of 133.8 kg since the agency's last report in February.
Iran's total amount of enriched uranium now exceeds 45 times the limit authorised by the 2015 agreement with world powers, and is estimated at 9,247.6 kg.
The IAEA has called on Iran to urgently change course and comply with its probe. IAEA Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi has stressed repeatedly that 'Iran is the only non-nuclear weapon state enriching to this level". He reiterated his urgent call upon Iran to 'cooperate fully and effectively" with the nuclear body.
Trump Says 'Very Close' To US-Iran Deal
This came a day after US President Donald Trump said Washington was 'fairly close" to reaching a nuclear deal with Iran, even as senior Iranian officials earlier dismissed speculation about an imminent nuclear deal with the United States, emphasising that any agreement must fully lift sanctions and allow the country's nuclear program to continue.
'I think we have a chance of making a deal with Iran," said Trump at the Oval Office. 'They don't want to be blown up. They would rather make a deal, and I think that could happen in the not-too-distant future." Trump reiterated that Iran having a nuclear weapon was unacceptable.
Trump had repeatedly threatened to bomb Iran's nuclear facilities if both sides failed to reach a resolution over a decades-long dispute over Tehran's controversial nuclear programme. Iranian officials said Trump's threat was a 'red line" and would have severe consequences.
Earlier, Trump said he had asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to delay any military action against Iran, as Washington continues efforts to negotiate a new nuclear deal with Tehran. 'I told him this would be inappropriate to do right now because we're very close to a solution," he told reporters on Wednesday.
Israel had rejected a New York Times report claiming Netanyahu threatened to disrupt US-Iran nuclear talks by targeting Iran's main enrichment facilities. Netanyahu's office responded with a brief statement calling the report 'Fake news".
Israel Slams Iran
Meanwhile, Israel on Saturday accused Iran of being 'totally determined" to acquire nuclear weapons after the IAEA report was released today. 'Such a level of enrichment exists only in countries actively pursuing nuclear weapons and has no civilian justification whatsoever," a statement from Netanyahu's office said.
Iran has held five rounds of talks with the United States in search of a new agreement to replace the deal with major powers that Trump abandoned during his first term in 2018. In his second term, Trump adopted a 'maximum pressure" policy and reimposed sweeping sanctions on Tehran.
(with agency inputs)
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May 31, 2025, 19:52 IST
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