Newsletter
Newsletter Support JNS

IAEA: Iran enriched uranium up to 63 percent purity

A confidential report notes “fluctuations of the enrichment levels,” though does not explain the cause.

The Iran nuclear program's heavy-water reactor at Arak. Credit: Nanking 2012 via Wikimedia Commons.
The Iran nuclear program’s heavy-water reactor at Arak. Credit: Nanking 2012 via Wikimedia Commons.

A confidential report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Tuesday that Iran has enriched uranium up to 63 percent purity, more than the previously announced 60 percent.

“According to Iran, fluctuations of the enrichment levels ... were experienced,” the IAEA stated in the report shown to Reuters.

“The agency’s analysis of the ES [environmental samples] taken on April 22, 2021, shows an enrichment level of up to 63 percent U-235, which is consistent with the fluctuations of the enrichment levels” described by Iran, it stated without explaining the cause of the fluctuations.

This comes as Iran holds indirect talks with the United States to revive the 2015 nuclear deal, which limited Tehran from enriching higher than 3.67 percent. Ninety percent is needed to reach weapons-grade fissile purity.

The IAEA confirmed last month that Iran had begun the process of enriching uranium to a purity level of 60 percent.

In a break with longstanding practice, the New York City mayor does not plan to join the parade this year.
The legislation, which aims to shield educational institutions from disruptive protests, passed the council in March without a veto-proof majority.
“We have to stop the defense,” the Florida congressman said. “You’re not going to mess with us.”
“The whole world has seen Iran was building up a conventional capability where they would have so many missiles and so many drones that they could overwhelm anybody’s defenses,” the U.S. secretary of state said.
“We degraded Iran’s ability to project power outside its borders and threaten the region and threaten our interests,” Adm. Brad Cooper stated.
The City Hall rep told JNS that the New York City mayor decries “displays of support for terrorist organizations.”