United Nations atomic agency inspectors have detected uranium that has been enriched to near weapons-grade in Iran in recent weeks, three senior diplomats said Sunday, a finding that will deepen concerns about Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.
Iran has been producing highly enriched, weapons-grade material of 60% purity since early 2021, but the material found was of 84% purity, according to the diplomats. Weapons-grade enriched uranium is generally considered to be from around 90%-enriched uranium.
The diplomats said they had been informed that Iran doesn’t appear to be accumulating a stockpile of the 84% material.
Bloomberg News earlier reported the International Atomic Energy Agency findings.
The IAEA said late Sunday it was aware of media reports about the findings and “is discussing with Iran the results of recent Agency” work to verify Iran’s nuclear activities.
An expanded version of this report appears on WSJ.com
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