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Tehran nearing nuclear weapon capability, says new confidential report

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Iran has expanded uranium enriched near weapons-grade levels, according to a report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), a United Nations nuclear watchdog. The confidential report, seen by The Associated Press on Monday, May 27, said that as of May 11, Iran has 313.2 pounds of uranium enriched up to 60% — an increase of 45.4 pounds since its last report in February.

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Uranium enriched at 60% purity is reportedly just short of 90%, which is needed for weapons-grade levels. The IAEA warned that the Islamic Republic has stockpiled enough enriched uranium to make “several nuclear bombs.” The 60% enriched uranium Iran holds could be converted full weapons-grade in a matter of days, U.S. officials said.

Meanwhile, Iran has claimed it has no intention to use its nuclear power for weapons.

Tensions have grown between Iran and the IAEA since 2018, the year that former President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from Tehran’s nuclear deal. Under the 2015 nuclear deal, Tehran agreed to limit enrichment of uranium in exchange for lifted sanctions and United Nation’s inspectors were able to visit Iran’s nuclear sites.

Since then, inspectors have been banned from checking on Iran’s nuclear program. However, the Biden administration has tried to strengthen diplomatic ties with Iran, in line with Obama-era policy.

Now there are reports that the White House and the United States’ European allies are at odds over how to handle the latest revelations with Iran. European Union nations, led by France and the U.K., want to censure Iran.

Some diplomats told The Wall Street Journal that the Biden administration is opposing censure efforts, instead opting to pressure Iran with the possibility of future sanctions. U.S. officials denied the Journal’s report that the United States was lobbying to stop the EU’s censure efforts.

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[LAUREN TAYLOR]

IRAN’S HAS EXPANDED ITS STOCKPILE OF URANIUM ENRICHED TO NEAR NUCLEAR-WEAPON CAPABILITIES.

THE REVELATIONS COMING IN A NEW CONFIDENTIAL REPORT FROM THE INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY.

THE FINDINGS SHOW AS OF MAY 11TH, IRAN INCREASED ITS ENRICHED URANIUM BY MORE THAN 45 POUNDS SINCE THE IAEA’S LAST REPORT IN FEBRUARY.

THE AGENCY WARNS THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC HAS STOCKPILED ENOUGH ENRICHED URANIUM TO MAKE “SEVERAL NUCLEAR BOMBS.” THE 60 PERCENT ENRICHED URANIUM IRAN HOLDS COULD BE CONVERTED TO FULL WEAPONS GRADE IN A MATTER OF DAYS, U.S. OFFICIALS SAID.

IRAN HAS CLAIMED ITS NUCLEAR PROGRAM ISN’T MEANT FOR WEAPONS. 

TENSIONS HAVE GROWN BETWEEN IRAN AND THE IAEA SINCE 2018, THE YEAR FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP WITHDREW THE U.S. FROM TEHRAN’S NUCLEAR DEAL.

UNDER THE 2015 NUCLEAR DEAL TEHRAN AGREED TO LIMIT ENRICHMENT OF URANIUM IN EXCHANGE FOR LIFTED SANCTIONS AND U.N. INSPECTORS WERE ABLE TO VISIT IRAN’S NUCLEAR SITES.

SINCE THEN, INSPECTORS HAVE BEEN BANNED FROM CHECKING IN ON IRAN’S NUCLEAR PROGRAM.

BUT THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION HAS TRIED TO STRENGTHEN DIPLOMATIC TIES WITH IRAN, IN LINE WITH OBAMA-ERA POLICY. 

NOW REPORTS THAT THE WHITE HOUSE AND THE U.S.’ EUROPEAN ALLIES ARE AT ODDS OVER HOW TO HANDLE THE LATEST REVELATIONS. 

E-U NATIONS, LED BY FRANCE AND THE U.K. WANT TO CENSURE IRAN.
DIPLOMATS TELLING THE WALL STREET JOURNAL THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IS OPPOSING CENSURE EFFORTS, INSTEAD OPTING SO PRESSURE IRAN WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF FUTURE SANCTIONS. 

U-S OFFICIALS DENIED THE JOURNAL’S REPORT THAT THE U.S. WAS LOBBYING TO STOP THE EU’S CENSURE EFFORTS. 

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENTS IN IRAN’S NUCLEAR PROGRAM– YOU CAN CLICK ON THIS STORY ON SAN-DOT-COM AND DOWNLOAD THE APP FOR THE LATEST UPDATES.