IAEA Confirms Iran Producing Uranium Metal for Civilian Use

Metal would be used for improved fuel rods for Research Reactor

Adding to yesterday’s media flurry on Iran’s production of uranium metal, the IAEA has confirmed that Iran is in the process of installing equipment for that production, and that the production was for civilian reasons.

Iran is being very transparent about this. The 20% enriched uranium metal will be used for improved fuel rods for the Tehran Research Reactor, a US-built reactor from the 1960s that is their source of medical isotopes.

As much as the US and others object to 20% enrichment, this is far from the 90% needed for weapons. The use of the research reactor is in no way a proliferation risk, nor an unapproved use for Iran.

Since IAEA’s confirmation comes with the reactor use, media outlets are using it to spin this as a “confirmed” metal production, and then dragging out the allegations about nuclear weapons again.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.