Iran triples output of near-weapons grade enriched uranium

[KARAH RUCKER]

IRAN IS PRODUCING 60% ENRICHED URANIUM AND HAS TRIPLED ITS PRODUCTION LEVELS IN RECENT WEEKS. THEY ARE THE ONLY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD NOT DECLARED A NUCLEAR POWER THAT IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SUCH HIGHLY ENRICHED URANIUM, WHICH CAN BE CONVERTED TO WEAPONS-GRADE MATERIAL WITHIN DAYS.

IRAN IS SAID TO HAVE A HIGH ENOUGH STOCK TO FUEL AT LEAST THREE WEAPONS. A GROWING THREAT AMID GROWING TENSIONS WITH THE ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR ONGOING.

THE U.S. ON ISRAEL’S SIDE AND HAMAS SUPPORTED BY IRAN AND OTHER IRANIAN-BACKED MILITANT GROUPS, IT PUTS IRAN AND THE U.S. AT ODDS. WITH MORE THAN 100 ATTACKS ON U.S. BASES BY IRAN’S PROXY GROUPS SINCE THE WAR BEGAN, TENSIONS ARE COMING TO A HEAD.

AND WITH NEW REPORTS SHOWING IRAN GROWING ITS ARSENAL AT UNPRECEDENTED LEVELS – THE U.S. IS TAKING NOTICE.

THERE IS AN INTERNATIONAL WATCHDOG THAT OVERSEES COUNTRIES’ USE OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS – THE “INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY.” AN AGENCY THAT IRAN HAS NOT ALWAYS BEEN SO FORTHCOMING WITH.

LAST YEAR IRAN WAS CAUGHT TURNING OFF CAMERAS MONITORING INSIDE THEIR NUCLEAR FACILITIES. AND TEHRAN HAS BEEN ACCUSED OF FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE AGENCY’S INVESTIGATIONS – WHICH EVENTUALLY DISCOVERED IRAN PRODUCED A SMALL AMOUNT OF 83% HIGHLY ENRICHED URANIUM – JUST SHY OF THE 90% WEAPONS-GRADE-LEVEL EARLIER THIS YEAR.

EVEN WITHOUT BEING A NUCLEAR WORLD POWER, IRAN HAS HOLD OVER MILITANT GROUPS THAT ARE CURRENTLY LAUNCHING STRIKES AT U.S. BASES AND IN THE RED SEA IN RETALIATION OVER THE WAR.

IRAN NOT ONLY HAS INFLUENCE OVER HOUTHI REBELS AND HAMAS MILITANTS, BUT IS ALSO THEIR LARGEST SUPPLIER OF WEAPONS.

ANOTHER REASON THE U.S. IS CALLING ON IRAN TO DE-ESCALATE THE ONGOING CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND IS ADAMANT IN KEEPING NUKES OUT OF THEIR ARSENAL.