Iran has stored ten times as much enriched uranium than agreed in the nuclear accord (JCPOA). The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of the United Nations reports this in the quarterly report on Friday.
Iran enriched 534 kilos of uranium in the past quarter, about the same as in the three months before. In total, the country now has 2,105 kilos of enriched uranium stored in the country, more than ten times more than the 202.8 kilos that had been agreed. Iran was also preparing to build new uranium enrichment facilities, according to the agency.
Nuclear weapons can be made with enriched uranium. A purity level of 90 percent must be achieved here. Iran achieves a purity level of about 4.5 percent. Yet this percentage is even further below the 20 percent that the country achieved before the nuclear deal was closed in 2015. The total storage of enriched uranium is now many times lower.
After much urging, the IAEA received permission from Iran this week to inspect two warehouses in the country. Researchers found nuclear remains at one of these locations this week, which indicate the storage of the material. Later this month, the second place will also be visited.
Iran started to enrich again after withdrawal by the US
The Iranian government decided to enrich uranium again after the United States’ unilateral withdrawal from the deal in 2018. President Donald Trump accused the country of breaking the deal and reintroduced sanctions against Iran.
In the JCPOA, signatories agreed to reduce crippling financial sanctions on Iran if Iran curtailed its nuclear activities.
Unlike Iran and the US, the other signatories (Russia, Germany, France, the United Kingdom and China) still support the nuclear deal. They have long tried to save the deal, despite US opposition.
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