Iran has amassed even more near weapons-grade uranium, UN watchdog says

The U.N. atomic watchdog says Iran has further accrued its stockpile of uranium enriched to adjacent weapons-grade levels

VIENNA -- Iran has further accrued its stockpile of uranium enriched to adjacent weapons-grade levels, a confidential study by the U.N. atomic watchdog said Saturday and called connected Tehran to urgently alteration people and comply with the agency’s probe.

The study comes astatine a delicate clip arsenic Tehran and Washington person been holding respective rounds of talks implicit a imaginable atomic woody that U.S. President Donald Trump is trying to reach.

The study by the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency — which was seen by The Associated Press — says that arsenic of May 17, Iran has amassed 408.6 kilograms (900.8 pounds) of uranium enriched up to 60%. That’s an summation of 133.8 kilograms (294.9 pounds) since the IAEA’s past study successful February.

That worldly is simply a short, method measurement distant from weapons-grade levels of 90%. A study successful February enactment the stockpile astatine 274.8 kilograms (605.8 pounds).

The IAEA main Rafael Mariano Grossi has stressed repeatedly that “Iran is the lone non-nuclear limb authorities enriching to this level.”

On Saturday, Grossi said helium “reiterates his urgent telephone upon Iran to cooperate afloat and effectively” with the IAEA.

On Thursday, elder Iranian officials dismissed speculation astir an imminent atomic woody with the United States, emphasizing that immoderate statement indispensable afloat assistance sanctions and let the country’s atomic programme to continue.

The comments came a time aft Trump said helium has told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to clasp disconnected connected striking Iran to springiness the U.S. medication much clip to propulsion for a caller atomic woody with Tehran.

Trump said connected Friday that helium inactive thinks a woody could beryllium completed successful the “not excessively distant future.”

“They don’t privation to beryllium blown up. They would alternatively marque a deal,” Trump said of Iran. He added, “That would beryllium a large happening that we could person a woody without bombs being dropped each implicit the Middle East.”

Trump said he’s warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from carrying retired preemptive strikes connected Iran’s atomic program, portion the talks are playing out.

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The Associated Press receives enactment for atomic information sum from the Carnegie Corporation of New York and Outrider Foundation. The AP is solely liable for each content. ___ Additional AP sum of the atomic landscape: https://apnews.com/projects/the-new-nuclear-landscape

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