First modification:
This Tuesday, February 28, an IAEA report again pointed to Tehran after detecting particles of uranium enriched above 80%. However, the evidence indicates that it could have been part of a process “unintentionally”, the thesis supported by Iran. However, this report threatens to further escalate the tension between the West and the Islamic republic over its nuclear potential, a particularly sensitive issue since the US unilaterally left the Nuclear Agreement in 2018.
It is a new warning from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) against Iran and its nuclear potential. On Tuesday, a report from the watchdog confirmed that at the Fordow nuclear power plant there are particles of uranium enriched up to 83.7% purity, a level very close to that necessary for the manufacture of nuclear weapons.
Where did those particles come from?
On January 21, watchdog workers discovered that two cascades of IR-6 centrifuges at Iran’s Fordow facility had been configured “substantially different” than previously stated.
“Regarding the origin of the particles enriched above 60% of U-235, identified after the commissioning of the new configuration of the cascades in FFEP, the talks with Iran continue,” the IAEA said in its report, in the one who claimed to have asked Iran for explanations.
It should be noted that the IAEA report only speaks of “particles”, that is, there is no evidence to suggest that Iran is building a reserve of uranium enriched above 60%the level it has maintained for some time.
“Iran informed the Agency that ‘unintentional fluctuations in enrichment levels may have occurred during the transition period or while the feed cylinder was being replaced,'” the Agency said.
For its part, the Persian country also assured that the changes registered respond to the decision to change the way of operating at the Fordow plant since mid-January. A change about which they should have informed the IAEA, according to the same agency.
Due to this lack of trust between the two parties, the IAEA noted in its report that it would “further increase the frequency and intensity of the verification activities of the agency” at the nuclear power plant.
To make a nuclear weapon you need uranium enriched between 80 and 90%. Iran enriches uranium to 60%, arguing that it does so for the welfare of the country and not for war purposes, such as for medical machinery and other civilian uses.
However, the mistrust between Iran and the West is palpable and, for this reason, they have been in a ‘tug of war’ to be able to implement more control mechanisms over Iran’s nuclear reserves.
Increased tensions with the West
If tensions between the West and Iran are already high, this for the time being confidential quarterly report from the IAEA will surely escalate them further.
“In 2018, when the previous Administration decided to leave the Nuclear Agreement, it would have taken Iran about 12 months to produce a fissile material bomb. Now it would take about 12 days,” Colin Kahl, the US assistant secretary of defense, told the Chamber. of Representatives.
And it is that, in addition to the particles, the agency recorded that Iran has uranium reserves amounting to 3,760 kilograms -dated on February 12-, which represents an increase of 87.1 kilograms since its last quarterly report in November.
Of those more than 3,760 kilograms, at least 87.5 kilograms are enriched to 60% purity. According to the IAEA, 42 kilograms of uranium enriched to that level are needed to make a nuclear bomb.
However, others Experts point out that if Iran wanted to make a nuclear weapon, it would have done so already.
The Joe Biden Administration has spent two years trying to return to the 2015 Nuclear Agreement without success. This limited Tehran’s uranium reserves to 300 kilograms and enrichment to 3.67%, enough to power a nuclear power plant.
But the unilateral withdrawal of the United States from the agreement in 2018, under the Donald Trump Administration, ended any type of restriction.
For Iran, the problems begin to accumulate. In addition to the internal protests that have plagued the country in recent months, Israel has already threatened military action against Tehran if it further develops its military potential. And Europe is also worried.
“We are united by concern about Iran’s nuclear escalation and recent reports of extremely high uranium enrichment,” said Annalena Baerbock, Germany’s foreign minister.
Now, the IAEA is expected to officially release its quarterly report on uranium debris found at three undeclared sites by Iran this weekend.
With Reuters, AP and EFE
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