Iran Is Ahead of Schedule on 20% Enriched Uranium Production

Speaker: Iran produced 17 kg in less than a month

Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf reported Thursday on state TV that the nation’s enrichment of 20% enriched uranium is well ahead of schedule, and that they have produced some 17 kg so far.

That’s a surprising lot, as they’ve been at it for less than a month. Iran’s Atomic agency originally predicted 120 kg of production per year, so only 10 kg per month. Clearly they’re well ahead of that already.

20% is the highest level of enrichment Iran has ever produced to, and the uranium will be converted to fuel for the Tehran Research Reactor. Weapons grade would need a minimum 90% enrichment, a process Iran has never attempted.

While some hawks argue that 20% is dangerously close to 90%, it’s not clear it’s that easy to get over that hump, let alone to convert the material into a deliverable weapon. Iran has ruled out making nuclear arms on a religious basis, and commits to purely civilian use.

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.