Iran may be close to developing nuclear weapons – Bloomberg
20 February, 2023 Centrifuges used to enrich uranium at Iran's Natanz nuclear facility in 2019. Iran. Photo credits: Iranian media
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Iran has detected uranium enriched to levels just below nuclear weapons-grade. Bloomberg reported about this referring to its own sources. The discovery of such radioactive material could lead to an escalation of the crisis surrounding Iran's nuclear program.
"The International Atomic Energy Agency is trying to clarify how Iran accumulated uranium enriched to 84% purity -- the highest level found by inspectors in the country to date," the article states. A concentration just 6% below what's needed for a nuclear weapon, Bloomberg emphasizes.
Iran's uranium enrichment centrifuges. Photo credits: WTOP.com
It is noted that Iran previously told IAEA representatives that its equipment in the form of special centrifuges was configured to enrich uranium to the level of 60%.
It is reported that inspectors must now determine whether Iran deliberately produced the highly enriched uranium or whether its high concentration was an accidental build-up in a network of pipes connecting hundreds of centrifuges used to separate isotopes. The publication emphasizes that this is the second time that IAEA inspectors have discovered suspicious uranium enrichment activity in Iran. "Even if the discovered uranium was accidentally accumulated due to the difficulties of using successive centrifuges (this has happened before), it still draws attention to the dangers of Iran's decision to produce highly enriched uranium," the agency said.
It should be noted that most nuclear reactors today use radioactive material enriched to the level of 5%.
Iran's nuclear facility. Photo credits: Ukrinform
Last fall, there were reports that the United States believed that Iran was seeking Russia's help to bolster its nuclear program. The US intelligence suggests that Iran has been asking Russia for assistance in acquiring additional nuclear materials and with nuclear fuel fabrication.
The fuel could help Iran power its nuclear reactors, thus potentially bringing the country closer to creating a nuclear weapon.
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