Iran accelerating near-weapons-grade plutonium production: Watchdog

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said Iran is taking steps to accelerate its near weapons-grade uranium in a broader effort to expand its capability for nuclear warfare, according to the watchdog’s latest report.

As of Feb. 8, Iran had 274.8 kilograms (605.8 pounds) of uranium enriched up to 60 percent according to The Associated Press who reviewed the confidential report.

According to the IAEA, approximately 42 kilograms of 60 percent enriched uranium is theoretically enough to produce one atomic bomb, if enriched further to 90 percent.

“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 report read as reported by AP.

Iran has not accepted oversight from the organization’s agency inspectors, who have sought to monitor the nation’s nuclear developments since September 2023.

Earlier this month, President Trump signed a National Security Presidential Memorandum effectively denying Iran all paths to a nuclear weapon and giving the Treasury and State departments approval to impose necessary sanctions to limit their advancements.

However, the president did outline the possibility of a nuclear peace deal with the nation a day later.

“I want Iran to be a great and successful Country, but one that cannot have a Nuclear Weapon. Reports that the United States, working in conjunction with Israel, is going to blow Iran into smithereens ARE GREATLY EXAGGERATED,” he wrote on Truth Social.

“I would much prefer a Verified Nuclear Peace Agreement, which will let Iran peacefully grow and prosper. We should start working on it immediately, and have a big Middle East Celebration when it is signed and completed. God Bless the Middle East!”

In 2018, Trump pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal, which limited the Middle Eastern nation from enriching uranium to levels higher than 3.67 percent purity while maintaining a stockpile of uranium of 300 kilograms.

Last August, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, signaled he was open to negotiations with the U.S. but later said discussions “are not intelligent, wise or honorable.”

Khamenei’s counterparts said they could not enter talks under the threat of sanctions or other economic pressures.

“Regarding the nuclear negotiations, the position of the Islamic Republic of Iran is very clear. We will not negotiate under pressure, threat or sanctions,” Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Tuesday during a press conference with his Russian diplomat Sergey Lavrov.

The report says that “no progress was made towards resolving the outstanding safeguards issues in relations to Varamin and Turquzabad,” sites where the IAEA has questions about the origin and location of man-made uranium particles found there, according to AP.

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