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Iran Reduces Stockpile of Near Weapons-Grade Uranium, Reveals IAEA Report
A confidential report from the International Atomic Weapons Agency (IAEA) on Tuesday, disclosed that Iran has decreased its stockpile of near weapons-grade uranium since October 2023.
The report indicates that in October, Iran possessed 128.3 kilograms of uranium enriched to approximately 60%, the highest level documented by the IAEA. By February, the stockpile had been reduced to 121.5 kilograms through a process of mixing 31.8 kilograms of the stockpile with uranium enriched to a much lower level, around 2%.
While this reduction has occurred, the report also highlights a steady increase in stocks of uranium enriched to 20%, growing from 567.1 kilograms in October to 712.2 kilograms in February. Weapons-grade uranium, typically enriched above 90%, and anything above 20%, considered highly enriched, were specified by the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation.
The report, prepared by IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, covers Iran’s adherence to its commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a 2015 deal aimed at limiting Iran’s nuclear activities. The United States withdrew from the JCPOA in 2018 under then-President Donald Trump.
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Experts, while acknowledging the reduction in the stockpile of near weapons-grade uranium, suggest that it will likely not impact the breakout time needed to produce enough weapons-grade material for a nuclear weapon. Iran maintains that it does not seek to build nuclear weapons. Despite the reduction, analysts, including Eric Brewer from the Nuclear Threat Initiative and Behnam Ben Taleblu from the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, state that Iran could still produce multiple bombs with its current reported stockpile.
The reasons behind Iran’s decision to take these steps at this time remain unclear. Both Brewer and Taleblu suggested that Iran may have reduced the stockpile to avoid censure at the upcoming IAEA Board of Governors meeting scheduled for next month. The US State Department declined to comment on the IAEA report as it had not yet been made public.
The report also highlighted that Iran, in recent months, informed the IAEA of its decision to withdraw the designation of several agency inspectors. This measure, while formally permitted, is expected to directly and seriously impact the IAEA’s ability to conduct effective verification.
The reported decrease in the uranium stockpile comes amid heightened tensions between Iran and the US over the Israel-Hamas war, with Iran-backed proxies in the region launching attacks against American military facilities since the war began on October 7. The situation has also seen attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on international shipping lanes in the Red Sea, prompting a US-led coalition bombing campaign against the Iran-backed Houthis.
