Natanz facility in Iran
Natanz facility in IranReuters

A diplomatic source has warned that Iran now has enough enriched uranium for three nuclear bombs.

The statement was made ahead of a conference of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

"Iran has enriched enough uranium for three nuclear bombs," the source said.

Discussions are expected to last about a week, after which the Board is expected to make a decision critical of Iran, for the first time in 2.5 years. At the same time, the decision is not expected to be harsh enough to lead to international sanctions on Iran, or even to a United Nations Security Council discussion on the matter.

The source emphasized that the detailed information regarding the scope of Iran's uranium enrichment appears in one of the two reports submitted to the Board of Governors by IAEA chief Rafael Grossi.

"The report examined the original nuclear deal," the source added. The report shows a worrying picture, of large quantities of uranium being enriched to 20% and to 60%. The enriched material is defined as SQ 3, indicating enough for three nuclear bombs. It is important to emphasize, however, that this material requires another purification process to bring it from the current level of 60% enrichment to the level of 90% enrichment required to manufacture a nuclear bomb. Thus far, there is no indication that Iran has completed this process.

The source added that the IAEA is expected to reach a decision critical of Iran since Iran has been caught in lies which it can no longer excuse.

"Iran has not responded to questions addressed to it by the IAEA," the source said. "It cannot do that without being caught in gross lies."

The Israeli source added that Iran is very disturbed by the IAEA's expected decision: "From their responses, we see the pressure. They do not want there to be a decision against them by the Security Council."

Israel, on the other hand, wants the matter to reach the Security Council, for the purpose of increasing international pressure and bringing about a change in the regional behavior and the attitude towards the Iranian nuclear program. Israel is hoping for the US and the West to return to a firmer stance against Iran, and even that the US threaten Iran militarily.

Though this does not seem realistic at the moment, the source emphasized that Iran may still "renege on the nuclear deal at any moment. The agreement is ready. Only the Iranian demand to remove the Revolutionary Guard from the list of terror organizations", a matter on which US President Joe Biden has made a final decision, "prevents a return to the deal."