VIENNA: The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported in a confidential document distributed to member countries Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium now stands at over 10 times the limit set in the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.
This is in violation of limitations set in the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, but Iran has begun providing access to sites where the country was suspected of having stored or used undeclared nuclear material, the IAEA noted.
As of 25 August, Iran had stockpiled 2,105.4 kg of low-enriched uranium, up from 1,571.6 kg reported on 20 May.
Iran signed the nuclear deal in 2015 with the US, Germany, France, the UK, China and Russia. Known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), it allows Iran only to keep a stockpile of 202.8 kg .
Uranium enrichment
The IAEA also reported that Iran has been continuing to enrich uranium to a purity of up to 4.5 per cent, higher than the 3.67 per cent allowed under the JCPOA. It said Iran’s stockpile of heavy water had decreased.
Last week, Iran announced it would allow the IAEA access to the two sites, following a visit to Tehran by the organisation’s Director-General, Rafael Grossi. The IAEA said Iran had granted its inspectors access to one of the two sites.
“Iran provided agency inspectors access to the location to take environmental samples,” a separate IAEA report seen by AFP said on Friday. “The samples will be analysed by laboratories that are part of the agency’s network,” it added.
The report said an inspection at the second site will take place “later in September 2020 on a date already agreed with Iran”.