Iran Offers to Cap Enriched Uranium Stockpile as E3 and US Pursue IAEA Censure

Nov 19, 2024, 04:07 PM

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reports indicate that Iran has increased its stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels, reaching 182.3 kilograms of uranium enriched up to 60% purity as of October 26—an increase of 17.6 kilograms since August. The IAEA states that this stockpile is more than 32 times the limit set by the 2015 nuclear deal and amounts to 6,604.4 kilograms of enriched uranium in total. Iran now possesses enough near weapons-grade uranium to potentially produce four nuclear bombs if further enriched to 90% purity. During IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi's recent visit to Tehran, Iran offered to halt the production of near bomb-grade uranium and cap its stockpile of 60% enriched uranium at around 185 kilograms. Iran also agreed to allow additional experienced IAEA inspectors to verify compliance with nuclear non-proliferation agreements. However, this offer is reportedly conditional on Western powers dropping a proposed censure resolution. Despite Iran's offer, the E3 countries (Germany, France, and the United Kingdom) and the United States are moving forward with introducing a resolution at the upcoming IAEA Board of Governors meeting starting Wednesday. The resolution aims to censure Iran for its poor cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog and urges Tehran to take appropriate steps. Iran has threatened to respond to any censure by resuming nuclear measures, including pumping gas into centrifuges and activating advanced centrifuges previously installed at nuclear facilities.