Iran has boosted its stockpile of 60 percent enriched uranium to 25 kilogrammes (55 pounds), according to state media, possibly complicating efforts to resurrect the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and international powers, according to THE GLOBAL AND MAIL.
The talks are set to resume in Vienna on November 29. However, Western powers have claimed that Tehran's rapid enrichment of uranium closer to weapons grade, in violation of constraints set by the accord after Washington withdrew from it in 2018, is eroding the pact's chances of survival.
"So far, we have produced 25 kilogrammes of 60 percent uranium, which no other country can manufacture save countries with nuclear weapons," said Behrouz Kamalvandi, spokesman for Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, according to local media.
The country has previously denied seeking nuclear weapons, claiming that it is just enriching uranium for civilian energy purposes. It has also claimed that the violations are reversible if the US lifts sanctions and rejoins the accord.
The United Nations nuclear watchdog claimed in April that Tehran had started enriching uranium to 60% fissile purity at an above-ground nuclear plant in Natanz, confirming earlier comments by Iranian officials.
Tehran announced in June that it had produced 6.5 kg of uranium with a 60 percent enrichment.
The nuclear deal limits Tehran's uranium refinement purity to 3.67 percent, which is acceptable for most civilian nuclear energy but significantly less than the 20 percent obtained before the 2015 agreement and far less than the 90 percent required for a nuclear bomb.
The administration of US President Joe Biden says it wants to return to the agreement, but it disagrees with Iran on which measures should be made and when, with the fundamental concerns being what nuclear limitations Tehran will accept and what sanctions Washington will lift.
Western officials and analysts believe Tehran’s escalation of enrichment, while being in no hurry to return to talks that were adjourned in June when an anti-Western hardliner was elected president, is meant to gain leverage to extract more concessions when negotiations do resume.
The Biden administration said on Oct. 31 that it was unclear whether Tehran was willing to rejoin the talks “in a meaningful way”.
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