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Iran's near-bomb-grade uranium stock grows, talks stall, IAEA reports say

Iran is improving uranium to near weaponsgrade at a steady pace while conversations aimed at improving its cooperation with the U.N. nuclear guard dog are stalled, two confidential reports by the guard dog showed on Monday.

The International Atomic Energy Firm faces a

variety of difficulties

in Iran, including the reality it just executed a little portion of the actions IAEA chief Rafael Grossi thought it committed to in a Joint Declaration on cooperation last year.

There has actually been no development in the previous year towards carrying out the Joint Statement of 4 March 2023, among the 2 reports to member states, both of which were seen by , stated.

Grossi took a trip to Iran this month for talks with Iranian officials aimed at improving cooperation and IAEA monitoring in Iran. Follow-up talks have actually stalled, however, after the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash recently.

The Director General restates to the new government of Iran his call for, and personality to continue with, the high-level dialogue and ensuing technical exchanges began ... on 6-7 May 2024, the report included.

It is 18 months since the IAEA's 35-nation Board of Guvs last passed a resolution against Iran, purchasing it to cooperate urgently with a years-long IAEA examination into uranium particles found at 3 undeclared websites.

While the number of websites has since been reduced to two, Iran has still not explained how the traces arrived.

The Director General is sorry for that the impressive safeguards issues have actually not been dealt with, the report stated, referring to those traces.

France and Britain are pushing for a

brand-new resolution

at next week's Board conference, which the United States has up until now not supported, diplomats state. Iran generally bristles at such resolutions, taking nuclear-related steps in action.

The other report said Iran's stock of uranium enriched to up to 60% pureness, close to the roughly 90% of weapons-grade, grew by 20.6 kg over the quarter to 142.1 kg since May 11, and Iran later diluted 5.9 kg to a lower enrichment level.

That suggests Iran now has roughly sufficient material enriched to up to 60% purity, if enhanced even more, for three nuclear weapons in theory, according to an IAEA yardstick. It has enough for more at lower enrichment levels.

Western powers say there is no credible civil factor for Iran to enrich to that level. Iran says its objectives are tranquil.

(source: Reuters)