IAEA Confirms Iran Accelerating Uranium Enrichment, Still Within Stockpile Limits

In a statement on Monday, IAEA Chief Amano Yukiya confirmed that Iran has followed through on plans to increase its rate of uranium enrichment. He did not say by how much the rate increased, but confirmed Iran remains within set stockpile limits.

Iran is enriching uranium in the low level of about 3.6%, which is then use as fuel for its Bushehr nuclear power plant. Iran has considered the stockpile limit voluntary since the US withdrew from the deal, but has not approached the limit at any rate, with Russia continuing to convert the uranium into fuel for the power plant.

Amano further confirmed that Iran remains in all ways compliant with the P5+1 nuclear deal, The last official IAEA report, from May 20, had affirmed as much and showed stockpiles had grown only slightly, suggesting the rate of increase in probably minor.

3.6% enriched uranium is far, far below the 90%+ level needed to make weapons at any rate. Iran has suggested they might as much as quadruple their enrichment rate eventually, though this rests on further improvements to their centrifuges, and is likely an exaggeration meant to convince the EU nations that they need to ensure that the P5+1 deal continues to benefit Iran even without the US involved.