UN watchdog chief warns world Iran’s ‘pressing gas pedal’ on nuclear program

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Craig Nigrelli Anchor

By Craig Nigrelli (Anchor), Evan Hummel (Producer), Michael Edwards (Video Editor)

The United Nations nuclear watchdog chief is warning world leaders that Iran’s recent promise to ramp up enrichment of uranium to nuclear weapons grade levels is well underway. Rafael Grossi, the International Atomic Energy Agency Director General, said, “Iran has moved into increasing the production, enrichment of 60% sevenfold.”

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Grossi added, “So, I think this is a clear indication of an acceleration. They are pressing the gas pedal.”

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Grossi told reporters at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Tuesday, Jan. 21, Iran told the U.N. nuclear watchdog in December 2024 that it would rapidly increase uranium enrichment to around 90% purity.

The IAEA said about 42kg of uranium enriched to that level is enough to create one nuclear bomb.

Grossi said Iran currently has about 200 kg of uranium enriched up to 60%.

The warning from Grossi comes after French President Emmanuel Macron cautioned Western and European allies that Tehran is reaching a “point of no return” in its pursuit of nuclear-weapon-grade uranium earlier in January 2025.

Grossi called on Tehran and the Trump administration to begin talks to deter Iran from going further with its nuclear program.

It remains to be seen if President Donald Trump, who took a hardline with Iran during his first term, or Tehran will be open to a discussion.

Iran has repeatedly denied it is enriching uranium to make a nuclear weapon and claims that it is being used for peaceful purposes.

Tags: Hamas, hezbollah, International Atomic Energy Agency, Iran, Islamic Republic of Iran, Israel, Israel Defense Forces, Middle East, Middle East Crisis, Nuclear energy, Nuclear fusion, nuclear plant, Nuclear War, Nuclear Warheads, Nuclear wastewater, Nuclear weapons, tactical nuclear weapons, Tehran, War

[CRAIG NIGRELLI]

THE U-N’S NUCLEAR WATCHDOG IS WARNING WORLD LEADERS IRAN’S RECENT PROMISE TO RAMP UP ENRICHMENT OF URANIUM TO NUCLEAR WEAPONS GRADE LEVELS IS WELL UNDERWAY.

[RAFAEL GROSSI]

IRAN HAS MOVED INTO INCREASING THE PRODUCTION, ENRICHMENT OF 60 PERCENT SEVENFOLD.

SO, I THINK THIS IS A CLEAR INDICTATION OF AN ACCELERATION. THEY ARE PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL.

[CRAIG NIGRELLI]

RAFAEL GROSSI, HEAD OF THE INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY, TOLD THE WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM IN DAVOS THIS WEEK IRAN TOLD THE U-N IT WOULD RAPIDLY INCREASE URANIUM ENRICHMENT TO AROUND 90 PERCENT PURITY.

THE I-A-E-A SAYS ABOUT 42 KILOGRAMS OF URANIUM ENRICHED TO THAT LEVEL IS ENOUGH TO CREATE ONE NUCLEAR BOMB.

GROSSI SAID IRAN CURRENTLY HAS ABOUT 200 KILOGRAMS OF URANIUM ENRICHED UP TO 60 PERCENT

THE WARNING COMES AFTER FRENCH PRESIDENT EMMANUEL MACRON CAUTIONED WESTERN AND EUROPEAN ALLIES TEHRAN IS REACHING A “POINT OF NO RETURN” IN ITS PURSUIT OF NUCLEAR-WEAPON-GRADE URANIUM EARLIER THIS MONTH.

GROSSI IS CALLING ON TEHRAN AND THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO BEGIN TALKS TO DETER IRAN FROM GOING FURTHER WITH ITS NUCLEAR PROGRAM.

IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN IF PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, WHO TOOK A HARDLINE WITH IRAN DURING HIS FIRST TERM, OR TEHRAN WILL BE OPEN TO DISCUSSION.

IRAN HAS REPEATEDLY DENIED ITS ENRICHING URANIUM TO MAKE A NUCLEAR WEAPONS AND CLAIMS IT’S ONLY BEING USED FOR PEACEFUL PURPOSES.

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FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M CRAIG NIGRELLI.