Iran has significantly expanded its stockpile of uranium enriched to levels close to weapons-grade, defying international demands, according to a new report by the United Nations' nuclear watchdog released on Thursday and seen by The Associated Press.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report indicated that as of August 17, Iran had accumulated 164.7 kilograms of uranium enriched up to 60%. This marks an increase of 22.6 kilograms since the IAEA's last report in May.
As of August 17, Iran’s overall stockpile of enriched uranium stood at 5,751.8 kilograms, according to the IAEA report.
Uranium enriched to 60% is just a short technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%. According to the IAEA, about 42 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60% is enough to theoretically create one atomic weapon if further enriched to 90%.
Iran's mission to the United Nations in New York did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the AP, and there was no immediate reaction from Tehran regarding the IAEA report.
The IAEA report also highlights that Iran has not reversed its September decision to prohibit the agency's inspectors from monitoring its nuclear program, and IAEA surveillance cameras remain inoperative, according to AP.
The IAEA said it requested access in an August 8 letter to a centrifuge manufacturing site in Isfahan to service its cameras but received no response from Iran.
Furthermore, the report noted that Iran has yet to provide answers regarding the origin and current location of man-made uranium particles found at two undeclared sites, Varamin and Turquzabad, as part of the IAEA's years-long investigation.
Iran has gradually scaled back its compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal it signed with world powers, in response to then-US President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the deal in 2018.
The Biden administration sought to return to the deal, but those efforts were unsuccessful.
Thursday’s report is the latest in a series of damning IAEA reports on Iran’s nuclear program.
A report from late June by the UN atomic energy agency found that Iran has installed half the advanced uranium-enriching machines it said earlier it would quickly add to its Fordow site but has not yet brought them online.
The IAEA's previous report determined that Iran has started up new cascades of advanced centrifuges and plans to install others in the coming weeks after facing criticism over its nuclear program.
The UN agency released a report at the end of May which found that Iran has further increased its stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels.
In July, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Iran is capable of producing fissile material for use in a nuclear weapon within "one or two weeks."
Thursday’s IAEA report comes just days after Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, signaled openness to renewed negotiations with the United States over the Iranian nuclear program, stating there was “no harm” in engaging with the “enemy.”
At the same time, Khamenei also reiterated his warnings that Washington cannot be trusted.