Iran has told the IAEA that Reuters is stepping up its work on uranium metal

By Francois Murphy

VIENNA (Reuters) – Iran has taken specific steps to produce cleaned uranium metal up to 20% of its reactor fuel, the UN atomic guard said on Tuesday to describe a move likely to anger Western powers. Iran’s nuclear deal.

Iran has been in indirect talks with the US since April to restore the 2015 deal, which was suspended by former US President Donald Trump. The agreement put a limit on Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for lifting sanctions, and after Trump withdrew, Iran began violating many restrictions.

Tehran has produced a small amount of uranium metal that has not already been enriched this year. It is a violation of the agreement, which prohibits work on uranium metal, which can be used to make the core of a nuclear bomb.

Iran has expressed plans to produce enriched uranium metal, saying it is developing fuel for the Tehran Research Reactor, but Washington and European allies are discussing Tehran’s intentions and have asked it to stop.

“Today, Iran told the agency that up to 20% of U-2 (uranium oxide) will be sent to the U-235-enriched R&D laboratory at the Esfahan Fuel Manufacturing Plant, which will be converted to UF4 (uranium tetrafluoride) and then 20-2% U before being used for fuel manufacturing. -235 uranium was enriched in the metal, “according to the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Summarizing the report to member states, the IAEA said the plan is a “multi-stage process” and suggested that it will take time before enriched metals can be produced.

The report is likely to increase tensions in the talks, including the rest of the 2015 agreement. Interviews were canceled on June 20 and a resumption date has not yet been set.

“It’s clear that this is on the rise. It’s another message from Iran that if the nuclear deal is not revoked, they will continue to increase their capacity and pressure,” said Bob Einhorn, a non-proliferation expert at the Brookings Institution think tank.