(ConservativeJournal.org) – Reports from the United Nations nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), reveal that Iran’s supply of uranium has grown and been enriched to approximately 60% purity, nearing weapons-grade levels, and continues to expand.
Sixty percent purity is relatively close to the 90% level required for weaponization.
According to two more internal reports from Monday, September 4, discussions with Tehran regarding sensitive matters, such as Iran’s explanation for the origins of uranium traces discovered at sites, have also not progressed.
One of the reports noted the absence of progress in resolving outstanding concerns related to safeguards during the reporting period. This primarily pertains to Iran’s inability to provide a credible explanation for the source of uranium particles detected at two undisclosed locations.
The stance adopted by the IAEA aligns with Israel’s perspective. Israel was displeased with the IAEA’s decision to close two previous inquiries into Iran’s nuclear program back in April. Israel had expressed concerns that the agency might close the remaining two investigations as well.
An agreement between Iran and the IAEA was announced in March concerning the reinstallation of surveillance cameras that were initially introduced under a 2015 deal with major global powers. However, at Iran’s request, these cameras were removed last year. These reports, disseminated to IAEA member states in preparation for the organization’s quarterly meeting involving the IAEA’s 35-nation Board of Governors scheduled for the following week, also indicated that there has been no progress in reinstalling the IAEA surveillance cameras. This lack of advancement compounds tensions between Iran and Western nations.
These circumstances come as a detriment to US Iran relations, as there have been steady improvements lately. Progress included the release of five US citizens held in Iranian detention, efforts to release approximately $10 billion of Iranian assets and a decrease in attacks by Iranian proxies targeting US forces in the Middle East.
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