By Canadian Press

International Atomic Energy Agency report seen by AP says Iran resolves 2 inquiries by inspectors

May 31, 2023 | 9:20 AM

VIENNA (AP) — Iran has resolved two outstanding inquiries of the International Atomic Energy Agency, a report seen Wednesday by The Associated Press said.

The confidential quarterly report by the Vienna-based IAEA said inspectors no longer had questions on uranium particles found to be enriched to 83.7% at its underground Fordo facility.

The report said investigators also have closed off their investigation of traces of man-made uranium found at Marivan, near the city of Abadeh, some 525 kilometers (325 miles) southeast of Tehran. Analysts had repeatedly linked Marivan to Iran’s secret military nuclear program and accused Iran of conducting high-explosives tests there in the early 2000s.

Iran on Tuesday had said international inspectors closed off the two lines of inquiry over its nuclear program.

The report comes as tensions between Iran and the West have escalated over its nuclear program. Tehran also has faced mass protests recently and anger from the West over it arming Russia with bomb-carrying drones now targeting Ukraine.

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Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal limited Tehran’s uranium stockpile to 300 kilograms (661 pounds) and enrichment to 3.67% — enough to fuel a nuclear power plant. The U.S.′ unilateral withdrawal from the accord in 2018 set in motion a series of attacks and escalations by Tehran over its program.

Iran has been producing uranium enriched to 60% purity — a level for which nonproliferation experts already say Tehran has no civilian use.

The IAEA report also estimated that as of May 13, Iran’s total enriched uranium stockpile was at 4,744.5 kilograms (10,460 pounds). Of that, 114.1 kilograms (251 pounds) is enriched up to 60% purity, a short, technical step to weapons-grade levels.

The last IAEA estimate in February put Iran’s uranium stockpile at some 3,760 kilograms (8,289 pounds). Of that, 87.5 kilograms (192 pounds) was enriched up to 60% purity.

While the IAEA’s director-general has warned that Iran now has enough uranium to produce “several” bombs, months more would likely be needed to build a weapon and potentially miniaturize it to put it on a missile. The U.S. intelligence community has maintained its assessment that Iran isn’t pursuing an atomic bomb.

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Associated Press writer Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report.

Stephanie Liechtenstein, The Associated Press