Iran’s Uranium Enrichment Capacity Is Up 25-Fold and Rising Fast
- Atomic monitors report new capacity online at Fordow
- Iran raised production was response to U.S. deal exit
Construction during a ground breaking ceremony at the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant in Iran on Nov. 10.
Photographer: Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu Agency via Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
Iran’s capacity to enrich uranium -- the heavy metal used for bombs and nuclear power -- has grown 25-fold since it began violating the landmark deal with world powers to protest the return of U.S. sanctions.
International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors said Monday that Iran’s stockpile of low-enriched uranium swelled almost two-thirds during the last quarter to more than 372 kilograms (820 pounds), according to a restricted document seen by Bloomberg. Iran’s now enriching about 100 kilograms of the metal a month compared to just 4 kilograms back when it was observing the 2015 agreement’s conditions in June, and purifying the metal to 4.5%