Confidential IAEA Report: Iran Has Sufficient Uranium to Build Three Nuclear Bombs

Reuters, citing confidential reports from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), reported that Iran has enough uranium enriched to 60% purity, close to weapons-grade, to build three nuclear bombs. This comes as Iran continues to obstruct key IAEA issues and has limited its cooperation with the agency. Part of the confidential report states that Iran's stockpile of uranium enriched to 60% has increased from 6.7 kg in the last report on September 4 to 128.3 kg. This uranium stockpile is sufficient for three nuclear bombs according to the IAEA's definition. Iran's ongoing advancement in uranium enrichment to very high levels and its inability to cooperate with the agency pose challenges for the IAEA and Western powers. A senior diplomat noted that Iran is the only country enriching at such high levels without producing nuclear weapons, stating, 'This amount is very high, especially if you are not using it for anything.' In its new report released on Wednesday, November 23, the IAEA announced that negotiations with Iran regarding two important issues—installing additional monitoring and inspection equipment at Iran's nuclear facilities and receiving satisfactory responses about the discovery of uranium traces at two Iranian nuclear sites—have ended without progress. Furthermore, the IAEA's new report reminds that the Iranian government has yet to respond to the agency's request to send several inspectors to Iran. These inspectors, reportedly French and German, are among the agency's most experienced inspectors and were supposed to visit Iran in September, but their trip was postponed due to Tehran's objections. A year ago, the 35-member Board of Governors of the UN nuclear watchdog passed a resolution instructing Iran to comply with the agency's investigations regarding uranium traces found at three undeclared sites. Farzin Nedimi: Israel has always been ready to launch a military attack on Iran's nuclear facilities but relies on U.S. assistance. Blinken: Iran's missile activities are 'one of the biggest challenges' to international peace and security. Senator Hagerty: The Islamic Republic's footprint is everywhere; the Biden administration needs to wake up. The U.S. and 46 other countries supported maintaining sanctions related to Resolution 2231. The U.S. sanctioned 20 individuals and entities linked to Iran's missile and drone program. Britain maintains nuclear and missile sanctions against the Islamic Republic. Concerns about the 'Islamic Republic's deviation from the nuclear agreement'; letter from Republican senators to Antony Blinken. Russia states it no longer sees the need to comply with UN Security Council resolutions regarding the Islamic Republic's missile program.