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Iran accelerates uranium enrichment, IAEA says, amid rising tensions with US

Iran accelerates uranium enrichment, IAEA says, amid rising tensions with US
That joint press conference with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Secretary of State Marco Rubio very clear, the two countries in lockstep and on Iran absolutely joined up in their thinking. The Prime Minister of Israel saying very clearly the Ayatollahs cannot be allowed to get *** nuclear weapon. Marco Rubio doubling down on that. The common theme in all of these challenges. Is Iran It is the single greatest source of instability in the region. Behind every terrorist group, behind every act of violence, behind every destabilizing activity, behind everything that threatens peace and stability for the millions of people who call this region home. Iran and by Iran I mean the Ayatollahs. By Iran I mean it's regime. *** regime who, by the way, its people don't support. The people of Iran are victims of that regime. They also spoke about Syria, about Lebanon, that neither of those two countries will be allowed to have *** footing or *** place for forces that would target Israel's security. And on Hamas and Gaza, Prime Minister Netanyahu is saying the United States, Israel in lockstep and that Hamas could be no more. I want to assure. Everyone who's now listening to us, President Trump and I are working in full cooperation and coordination between us. We have *** common strategy. And we can't always share the details of this strategy with the public, including when the gates of hell will be opened, as they surely will if all our hostages are not released until the last one of them. Israel is determined to achieve all the war objectives we set after the horrific attack on October 7, the worst attack on Jews since the Holocaust. We will eliminate Hamas's military capability. And its political rule in Gaza, we will bring all our hostages home. And on that all important question of what happens next in the hostage ceasefire negotiations over Gaza, Prime Minister Netanyahu sending delegation, *** negotiating delegation to Cairo on Monday to discuss the phase one, the 1st 6 weeks part of that deal. The security cabinet here in Israel Monday evening will meet to discuss what to do about phase 2, the much harder to grapple with phase that could bring about an end to the war, and on that, Prime Minister Netanyahu indicating once the Security Council has discussed phase two, then he will instruct his negotiators who have gone to Cairo, how to discuss that further. Nic Robertson, CNN, Jerusalem.
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Iran accelerates uranium enrichment, IAEA says, amid rising tensions with US
Iran has accelerated its production of near weapons-grade uranium as tensions between Tehran and Washington rise after the election of U.S. President Donald Trump, a report by the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog seen by The Associated Press on Wednesday showed.The report by the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency said that as of Feb. 8, Iran has 605.8 pounds of uranium enriched up to 60%. That’s an increase of 203.9 pounds since the IAEA’s last report in November.That material is a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%.A report in November 2024 put the stockpile at 401.9 pounds. It had 363.1 pounds last August.“The significantly increased production and accumulation of high enriched uranium by Iran, the only non-nuclear weapon State to produce such nuclear material, is of serious concern,” the confidential report stated. According to the IAEA, approximately 42 kilograms of 60% enriched uranium is theoretically enough to produce one atomic bomb, if enriched further to 90%.The IAEA also estimated in its quarterly report that as of Feb. 8, Iran’s overall stockpile of enriched uranium stands at 18,286 pounds, which represents an increase of 3725.8 pounds since the last report in November.During his first presidential term, Trump unilaterally withdrew the U.S. from Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers and reimposed sanctions on Iran. He also ordered the 2020 killing of Qassem Soleimani, who led the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force.Iran signals it could pursue nuclear weaponsIran has maintained its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only, but the IAEA chief, Rafael Mariano Grossi, has previously warned that Tehran has enough uranium enriched to near-weapons-grade levels to make “several” nuclear bombs if it chose to do so.Iranian officials have increasingly suggested Tehran could pursue an atomic bomb. U.S. intelligence agencies assess that Iran has yet to begin a weapons program, but has “undertaken activities that better position it to produce a nuclear device, if it chooses to do so.”Iran’s accelerated production of near weapons-grade uranium puts more pressure on Trump as he’s repeatedly said he’s open to negotiations with the Islamic Republic while also increasingly targeting Iran’s oil sales with sanctions as part of his reimposed “maximum pressure” policy.Even Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has final say on all state matters, in a speech in August opened the door to talks with the U.S., saying there is “no harm” in engaging with the “enemy.”More recently, he tempered that, saying that negotiations with America “are not intelligent, wise or honorable” after Trump floated nuclear talks with Tehran.Iran refuses to reconsider ban on IAEA inspectorsThe IAEA already warned last December that Iran was poised to “quite dramatically” increase its stockpile of near weapons-grade uranium as it has started operating cascades of advanced centrifuges.That move came as a response to the Board of Governors at the IAEA passing a resolution condemning Iran for failing to cooperate fully with the agency. In the past, Iran has repeatedly responded to resolutions by the IAEA Board of Governors by further enhancing its nuclear program.Wednesday’s report also said that Iran has also not reconsidered its September 2023 decision to ban some of the agency’s most experienced inspectors from monitoring its nuclear program.“The Director General deeply regrets that Iran, despite having indicated a willingness to consider accepting the designation of four additional experienced Agency inspectors, did not accept their designations,” the report said.Additionally, the report says that “no progress was made towards resolving the outstanding safeguards issues in relations to Varamin and Turquzabad,” the two locations in Iran where the nuclear watchdog has questions about the origin and location of man-made uranium particles found there.The report also said that IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi held telephone discussions with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi at the beginning of this year, during which he “reiterated his readiness to work with Iran to resume implementation" of a deal the agency and Tehran agreed two years ago.The Joint Statement included a pledge by Iran to resolve issues around Varamin and Turquzabad where inspectors have questions about possible undeclared nuclear activity, and to allow the IAEA to “implement further appropriate verification and monitoring activities.”“Foreign Minister Araghchi indicated Iran’s preparedness to cooperate with the Agency and raised the possibility of the Director General visiting Tehran again,” the report said.

Iran has accelerated its production of near weapons-grade uranium as tensions between Tehran and Washington rise after the election of U.S. President Donald Trump, a report by the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog seen by The Associated Press on Wednesday showed.

The report by the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency said that as of Feb. 8, Iran has 605.8 pounds of uranium enriched up to 60%. That’s an increase of 203.9 pounds since the IAEA’s last report in November.

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That material is a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%.

A report in November 2024 put the stockpile at 401.9 pounds. It had 363.1 pounds last August.

“The significantly increased production and accumulation of high enriched uranium by Iran, the only non-nuclear weapon State to produce such nuclear material, is of serious concern,” the confidential report stated. According to the IAEA, approximately 42 kilograms of 60% enriched uranium is theoretically enough to produce one atomic bomb, if enriched further to 90%.

The IAEA also estimated in its quarterly report that as of Feb. 8, Iran’s overall stockpile of enriched uranium stands at 18,286 pounds, which represents an increase of 3725.8 pounds since the last report in November.

During his first presidential term, Trump unilaterally withdrew the U.S. from Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers and reimposed sanctions on Iran. He also ordered the 2020 killing of Qassem Soleimani, who led the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force.

Iran signals it could pursue nuclear weapons

Iran has maintained its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only, but the IAEA chief, Rafael Mariano Grossi, has previously warned that Tehran has enough uranium enriched to near-weapons-grade levels to make “several” nuclear bombs if it chose to do so.

Iranian officials have increasingly suggested Tehran could pursue an atomic bomb. U.S. intelligence agencies assess that Iran has yet to begin a weapons program, but has “undertaken activities that better position it to produce a nuclear device, if it chooses to do so.”

Iran’s accelerated production of near weapons-grade uranium puts more pressure on Trump as he’s repeatedly said he’s open to negotiations with the Islamic Republic while also increasingly targeting Iran’s oil sales with sanctions as part of his reimposed “maximum pressure” policy.

Even Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has final say on all state matters, in a speech in August opened the door to talks with the U.S., saying there is “no harm” in engaging with the “enemy.”

More recently, he tempered that, saying that negotiations with America “are not intelligent, wise or honorable” after Trump floated nuclear talks with Tehran.

Iran refuses to reconsider ban on IAEA inspectors

The IAEA already warned last December that Iran was poised to “quite dramatically” increase its stockpile of near weapons-grade uranium as it has started operating cascades of advanced centrifuges.

That move came as a response to the Board of Governors at the IAEA passing a resolution condemning Iran for failing to cooperate fully with the agency. In the past, Iran has repeatedly responded to resolutions by the IAEA Board of Governors by further enhancing its nuclear program.

Wednesday’s report also said that Iran has also not reconsidered its September 2023 decision to ban some of the agency’s most experienced inspectors from monitoring its nuclear program.

“The Director General deeply regrets that Iran, despite having indicated a willingness to consider accepting the designation of four additional experienced Agency inspectors, did not accept their designations,” the report said.

Additionally, the report says that “no progress was made towards resolving the outstanding safeguards issues in relations to Varamin and Turquzabad,” the two locations in Iran where the nuclear watchdog has questions about the origin and location of man-made uranium particles found there.

The report also said that IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi held telephone discussions with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi at the beginning of this year, during which he “reiterated his readiness to work with Iran to resume implementation" of a deal the agency and Tehran agreed two years ago.

The Joint Statement included a pledge by Iran to resolve issues around Varamin and Turquzabad where inspectors have questions about possible undeclared nuclear activity, and to allow the IAEA to “implement further appropriate verification and monitoring activities.”

“Foreign Minister Araghchi indicated Iran’s preparedness to cooperate with the Agency and raised the possibility of the Director General visiting Tehran again,” the report said.