Current:Home > NewsUN nuclear watchdog report seen by AP says Iran slows its enrichment of near-weapons-grade uranium-InfoLens
UN nuclear watchdog report seen by AP says Iran slows its enrichment of near-weapons-grade uranium
View Date:2024-12-23 19:09:41
VIENNA (AP) — Iran has slowed its enrichment of uranium at nearly weapons-grade levels, a report by the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog seen by The Associated Press said Monday.
The confidential report comes as Iran and the United States are negotiating a prisoner swap and the release of billions of dollars in Iranian assets frozen in South Korea. Slowing its enrichment of uranium could serve as another sign that Tehran seeks to lower tensions between it and America after years of tensions since the collapse of its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.
The report by the International Atomic Energy Agency said Iran has 121.6 kilograms (268 pounds) of uranium enriched up to 60%, a far-slower growth than in previous counts. An IAEA report in May put the stockpile of 60% uranium at just over 114 kilograms (250 pounds). It had 87.5 kilograms (192 pounds) in February.
Uranium enriched at 60% purity is just a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%. Iran has maintained its program is peaceful, but the IAEA’s director-general has warned Tehran has enough enriched uranium for “several” nuclear bombs if it chose to build them.
Iran likely would still need months to build a weapon. U.S. intelligence agencies said in March that Tehran “is not currently undertaking the key nuclear weapons-development activities that would be necessary to produce a testable nuclear device.” The IAEA, the West and other countries say Iran had a secret military nuclear program it abandoned in 2003.
Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal limited Tehran’s uranium stockpile to 300 kilograms (661 pounds) and enrichment to 3.67% — enough to fuel a nuclear power plant. The U.S. unilateral withdrawal from the accord in 2018 set in motion a series of attacks and escalations by Tehran over its program.
While Iran has slowed the enrichment, the IAEA reported other problems with trying to monitor its program. An IAEA report seen by the AP said Iran had denied visas for agency officials, while the “de-designation of experienced agency inspectors” also challenged its work.
The IAEA also hasn’t been able to access surveillance camera footage since February 2021 under Iranian restrictions, while the only recorded data since June 2022 has been from cameras at a workshop in the Iranian city of Isfahan.
Iran has not acknowledged the visa denials previously. Iran’s mission to the United Nations in New York did not immediately respond to a request for comment over the reported visa denials.
___
Associated Press writer Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report.
veryGood! (64985)
Related
- 2025 NFL Draft order: Updated first round picks after Week 10 games
- Argentines ask folk cowboy saint Gauchito Gil to help cope with galloping inflation
- The Excerpt podcast: Are we ready for the next pandemic? How scientists are preparing.
- Michigan cosmetology school agrees to $2.8M settlement in an unpaid labor dispute
- DWTS' Gleb Savchenko Shares Why He Ended Brooks Nader Romance Through Text Message
- The EU loses about a million workers per year due to aging. Migration official urges legal options
- Airlines say they found loose parts in door panels during inspections of Boeing Max 9 jets
- JetBlue’s CEO is stepping down, and he’ll be replaced by the first woman to lead a big US airline
- Hill House Home’s Once-A-Year Sale Is Here: Get 30% off Everything & up to 75% off Luxury Dresses
- Dutch anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders has withdrawn a 2018 proposal to ban mosques and the Quran
Ranking
- Jessica Simpson's Husband Eric Johnson Steps Out Ringless Amid Split Speculation
- Jim Harbaugh delivers a national title. Corum scores 2 TDs, Michigan overpowers Washington 34-13
- The EU loses about a million workers per year due to aging. Migration official urges legal options
- Busy Washington state legislative session kicks off with a focus on the housing crisis
- MLS Star Marco Angulo Dead at 22 One Month After Car Crash
- Latest on FA Cup after third round: Arsenal eliminated, seven EPL teams in replays
- Beef sweeps nominated categories at 2024 Golden Globes
- North Korea and South Korea fire artillery rounds in drills at tense sea boundary
Recommendation
-
The Daily Money: Markets react to Election 2024
-
Lindsay Lohan Looks More Fetch Than Ever at Mean Girls Premiere
-
Ford, Hyundai, BMW among 140,000 vehicles recalled: Check car recalls here
-
Pakistani officer wounded while protecting polio vaccination workers dies, raising bombing toll to 7
-
Tua Tagovailoa playing with confidence as Miami Dolphins hope MNF win can spark run
-
Brazil observes the anniversary of the anti-democratic uprising in the capital
-
Judge dismisses Notre Dame professor’s defamation lawsuit against student newspaper
-
Ryan Reynolds Celebrates Emmy Win With Instagram Boyfriend Blake Lively