Iran increases production

Supervisors sound the alarm! Nuclear bomb gets closer

Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is apparently working on a nuclear bomb.

(Bild: AFP)

Iran has greatly accelerated the production of uranium almost suitable for nuclear weapons in recent months - despite previous talks on limiting production. The Islamist state is getting ever closer to a nuclear bomb.

This was reported by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna on Wednesday. Around 50 kilograms of 90 percent uranium are required for a nuclear warhead; Iran currently has 275 kilograms of 60 percent uranium.

Iran's stocks of uranium with a purity level of 60 percent have increased by a good 91 kilograms to around 275 kilograms since the end of October, according to the IAEA report, which is not public and was obtained by the German press agency Deutsche Presse-Agentur. IAEA chief Rafael Grossi pointed out that Iran is the only state without nuclear weapons that produces such material.

The "significant increase in production and accumulation" of 60 percent uranium "gives rise to serious concern", he wrote in the document, which will be debated at a meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors next week.

Iran denies nuclear bomb intentions
In mid-November, Grossi negotiated in Tehran about a possible self-restriction in the production of this material so that the quantity does not increase any further. Iran had already taken initial technical precautions to this end. However, following an IAEA resolution critical of Iran, Tehran decided to accelerate production.

According to experts, around 50 kilograms of this material is required for a nuclear warhead. However, it would first have to be enriched to a level of 90 percent. Officially, Iran insists that it is not aiming for a nuclear arsenal. Recently, however, some Iranian officials have spoken out about a possible departure from this doctrine, further fueling international concerns about Iran's nuclear program.

Vienna agreement terminated by Trump
At the beginning of February, US President Donald Trump once again campaigned for a "nuclear peace agreement" with Iran. Tehran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi initially indicated a willingness to talk, but shortly afterwards Iran's supreme spiritual leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei categorically rejected negotiations with Trump.

In recent months, Germany, France and the UK have held talks on a possible new agreement without the United States. The most recent round took place in Geneva on Monday.

During his first term in office, Trump announced the United States' withdrawal from the 2015 Vienna nuclear deal in 2018, which severely restricted Iran's nuclear program. In return, sanctions against Iran were lifted. Since Trump's move, Tehran has gradually ramped up enrichment again and restricted or prevented IAEA inspections.