Iran has stepped up its production of uranium enriched to near-weapons grade level, and the program is of "serious concern," the United Nations' nuclear watchdog said in reports issued to member states on Wednesday. The International Atomic Energy Agency said in its quarterly reports on Iran that the country's stockpile of uranium enriched to 60% purity has increased by around 50% to just over 600 pounds, enough for six nuclear bombs if it was enriched further, reports Reuters. The material is "a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%," reports the AP.
"The significantly increased production and accumulation of high enriched uranium by Iran, the only non-nuclear weapon state to produce such nuclear material, is of serious concern," the IAEA said. The agency said no progress had been made in resolving outstanding issues, including the presence of traces of uranium at undeclared sites, Reuters reports. "Iran states that it has declared all of the nuclear material, activities and locations required under its Safeguards Agreement," one of the reports stated. "This is inconsistent with the Agency's assessments."
Concerns are rising that Iran may develop a nuclear weapon in response to the "cascade of setbacks Tehran has suffered across the region in recent months," as the Washington Post puts it. President Trump signed an executive order earlier this month to put "maximum pressure" on Iran. He said he is open to talks with Iran on a new nuclear deal, but the country "cannot have a Nuclear Weapon." (More Iran nuclear facilities stories.)
,
uBlock 
,
and
Ghostery 
)
