Iranian media claims that the country has increased its enrichment of Uranium to 60%. The increased levels of Uranium enrichment means Iran is inching closer to attaining nuclear weapon-grade Uranium. The move comes in response to the nuclear watchdog's resolution against Iran.

Is Iran inching closer to nuclear weapons as it starts enriching Uranium to 60%?

According to IAEA report, Iran is rapidly expanding its ability to enrich uranium with advanced centrifuges at its underground plant at Natanz and now intends to go further than previously planned.

IAEA report: Iran racing to expand Uranium enrichment at underground plant

The latest round of talks on the revival of the Iran nuclear deal or the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) ended in Vienna on August 8, with all parties returning back to their respective capitals for ‘political consultations’. The talks were convened as a part of one last-ditch effort by Josep Borrell, EU’s high representative along with the lead Iranian nuclear negotiator Ali Bagheri Kani in yet another bid to revive the deal. Earlier too, eight rounds of talks in Vienna since April 2021 did not yield any positive results. It may be recalled that the Iran Nuclear Deal was revoked unilaterally by the US under President Trump in May 2018, calling it the “most horrible deal ever”. Talks to revive the deal and restore the JCPOA began in right earnest only in April 2021, soon after Joe Biden took over as the US president. At the end of the eighth round of talks in January 2022, the talks were paused for participants ‘go back to capitals for consultations’. In addition to the Vienna talks, there was also a round of indirect talks hosted at Doha on 28-29 June, which too failed to deliver despite initial positive messaging from both sides.

Politically, neither Iran nor the US look to budge from their stand on critical issues. There are basically two key sticking points to the nuclear deal; first is a sovereign assurance sought from the US by Iran that America will not unilaterally revoke the deal in future, and secondly, all economic sanctions imposed under “false excuses” must be lifted. It is also seeking that IRGC should be delisted from the list of foreign terrorist organizations. On all these issues, the US is not ready to concede yet. Any hopes of an early resolution were dashed by the IAEA's June 6 resolution formally criticising Iran for a lack of cooperation and failure to explain uranium traces found at undeclared sites in Iran. On the same day, the Terrorist Financing Targeting Center (TFTC), a group of countries led by the US and Gulf nations, sanctioned three individuals associated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF) on terror financing. In an almost immediate response, Iran started removing surveillance cameras from nuclear sites in the country, rendering the IAEA blind to nuclear activities in the Iranian plants.

Why is JCPOA important?

JCPOA, signed on July 14, 2015, and effective from January 2016, was a landmark deal, negotiated over five years between Iran and P5 plus1. It was an ‘instrument of faith’ between the two parties with strict checks and balances which was aimed to ensure that a strict vigil was kept on Iran’s nuclear program, lest Iran develops a nuclear weapon and at the same time, tough and crippling economic sanctions against Iran were to be revoked giving Iran the much needed economic relief. It was a win-win situation for both parties. Scaling down of the nuclear program by Iran coupled with strict monitoring by IAEA ensured that the delicate security and geopolitical balance in the region was not altered. Similarly, Iran was able to again commence its crude oil and natural gas trade and also invite global investments to prop its economy. With the US scaling down its active involvement in military conflicts in the West Asian region and Afghanistan under President Obama, it was necessary to ensure that the potential nuclear threat from Iran was contained and thus JCPOA was clearly a very critical and important deal towards that goal.

What happened to JCPOA?

Iran was sincere towards the implementation of the JCPOA and did everything that was required of it. Under the deal, Iran could not operate more than 5,000 first-generation IR-1 centrifuges to enrich uranium, that too, only up-to to 3.67 per cent. All uranium enriched to 20 per cent was to be scrapped or shipped out, the core of its Heavy Water Plant at Arak was to be demobilised and most importantly, Iran agreed to ‘anywhere, anytime’ inspections of its nuclear facilities by the IAEA and UN inspectors. Iran stuck to the deal and on 16th January 2016, designated as the Implementation Day, the IAEA verified that Iran had met its all nuclear related commitments, triggering the lifting of sanctions on Iran.

Despite former US president Trump unilaterally pulling out of the deal in May 2018, Iran continued compliance till March 6, 2019, the last time that IAEA reported that Iran was implementing all its nuclear-related commitments. The US designating the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran as a Foreign Terrorist Organization on April 8, 2019, was a trigger which was followed immediately by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani announcing on April 9 that Iran will install a cascade of 20 IR-6 centrifuges at Natanz. There has been no stopping thereafter in Iran scaling up its nuclear program.

How is Iran making the nuclear deal irrelevant?

As far as Iran is concerned, three things are vitally important to it; firstly is the removal of economic sanctions which are hurting it badly, secondly is its right towards a peaceful nuclear program meant for ‘medical research and other peaceful uses’, and thirdly is safeguarding its own role and standing in the region as a major regional power.

Of all these, the economy is perhaps the most important and Iran has been steadily working on working around the sanctions over the years. Its 25-year strategic partnership with China offers a large assured market of oil as well as non-oil trade. The ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, too, has provided an opportunity for Iran. Both Russia and China have joined forces and have challenged the western-oriented Dollar trade system based on SWIFT clearance system and have proposed their own trade system. India too announced a sovereign international trade clearing system based on Rupee payment in July 2022. With Iran enjoying close ties with each of these nations, such alternate systems open up great trade opportunities for Iran. This, when seen in the context of the ongoing US-China standoff, India exercising its sovereign choices to buy oil from Russia (and possibly from Iran) and Turkey recently announcing that it will pay Russia in Rubles for natural gas, provide a perfect opportunity for Iran to leverage it and join alternate payment systems and mutual arrangements with these countries to bypass sanctions. Also, with Syria under President Assad stabilizing politically and Iraq heavily under Iran's influence, oil exports through these countries provide additional revenue to Iran. It is perhaps due to this and more loopholes being exploited by Iran that the US Treasury, on 02nd August announced sanctions against UAE and HK-based companies accused of facilitating the sale and transfer of Iranian petrochemical products. On the same day, a media report quoted United Against a Nuclear Iran (UANI), a watchdog group that tracks Iran's network of illegal oil tankers, stating that Iran’s export revenues between March 2021 and March 2022 from oil, gas, and related products totalled $39 billion, compared to $22 billion for the previous year, a rise of 77 per cent and an extra $17 billion, with exports primarily to China and Syria. Iran is therefore slowly and steadily working around economic sanctions imposed by the US.

The second issue is the nuclear enrichment program. Iran commenced nuclear enrichment beyond the stipulated limits of JCPOA in April 2019. Later, on 02nd December 2021, Iran's Guardian Council approved the legislation mandating the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran to increase enrichment levels to 20 per cent and to suspend implementation of the Additional Protocol in 60 days if sanctions are not addressed. On 13th April this year, soon after a cyber-attack on the Natanz nuclear plant, Iran announced its intention to enrich uranium to 60 per cent. A resolution adopted by the IAEA on 06th June formally criticizing Iran for a lack of cooperation with it prompted Iran to switch off surveillance cameras resulting in the IAEA having no information on the progress of nuclear enrichment in Iranian plants. Most recently, on 02nd August, Iran announced its plans for further enrichment and stockpiling after the US announced sanctions on companies of UAE and Hong Kong for petrochemical trade with Iran. IR6 centrifuges are enriching uranium at a fast pace and with 27 surveillance cameras switched off, IAEA and the world is virtually blind to Iran’s nuclear activities. With each passing day, Iran is close to stockpiling enough ‘Highly Enriched Uranium’ to produce a nuclear weapon, if it so wants.

Last is the issue of geopolitical alignments in the region. Here too, Iran has been carefully forging new ties. The GCC-Qatar standoff in June 2017 brought Qatar closer to Iran. Turkey too is realigning ties with Iran with President Raisi calling the Turkish president’s visit to Tehran in July this year an "important turning point" in improving the relations between the two neighbouring countries. With Saudi Arabia, there have been five rounds of talks, mediated by Iraq, and there were recent reports of both foreign ministers likely to meet soon. The Yemen ceasefire is holding off since Ramadan, an important factor in ties with Saudi Arabia. With UAE, too, there has been a marked progress. UAE recently announced the return of its ambassador to Tehran, and in December 2021, UAE National Security Advisor Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan visited Tehran, signalling an approach to the normalisation of ties. Although it is too premature to say that Iran would be accepted as a trustworthy partner in the largely Sunni Arab world, but new emerging dynamics maybe be beneficial to Iran in the long run.

Conclusion

For P5 plus 1, the Iran nuclear deal is very important. It gives them and the world an effective control who can watch over suspected Iran’s nuclear weapons program. For Iran, on the other hand, the nuclear deal has now become more of a bargaining chip for issues which transcend the limited context of the nuclear program. Each passing day is making it more and more difficult for the deal to be revived. The world will perhaps one day rue the manner in which former US president Trump blew up the deal and virtually let Iran off the hook. Josep Borrell, the EU’s foreign policy chief, at the conclusion of the Vienna talks on August 8 said, “What can be negotiated has been negotiated, and it’s now in a final text.” The deal is clearly now more than mere technicalities and requires political decision making at the highest level&nbsp;at both ends. Meanwhile, Iran is merrily chugging along, making sure that deal or no deal&nbsp;it is doing enough to safeguard its interests.

The latest round of talks on the revival of the Iran nuclear deal or the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) ended in Vienna on August 8, with all parties returning back to their respective capitals for ‘political consultations’.

The latest round of talks on the revival of the Iran nuclear deal or the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) ended in Vienna on August 8, with all parties returning back to their respective capitals for ‘political consultations’. The talks were convened as a part of one last-ditch effort by Josep Borrell, EU’s high representative along with the lead Iranian nuclear negotiator Ali Bagheri Kani in yet another bid to revive the deal. Earlier too, eight rounds of talks in Vienna since April 2021 did not yield any positive results. It may be recalled that the Iran Nuclear Deal was revoked unilaterally by the US under President Trump in May 2018, calling it the “most horrible deal ever”. Talks to revive the deal and restore the JCPOA began in right earnest only in April 2021, soon after Joe Biden took over as the US president. At the end of the eighth round of talks in January 2022, the talks were paused for participants ‘go back to capitals for consultations’. In addition to the Vienna talks, there was also a round of indirect talks hosted at Doha on 28-29 June, which too failed to deliver despite initial positive messaging from both sides. Politically, neither Iran nor the US look to budge from their stand on critical issues. There are basically two key sticking points to the nuclear deal; first is a sovereign assurance sought from the US by Iran that America will not unilaterally revoke the deal in future, and secondly, all economic sanctions imposed under “false excuses” must be lifted. It is also seeking that IRGC should be delisted from the list of foreign terrorist organizations. On all these issues, the US is not ready to concede yet. Any hopes of an early resolution were dashed by the IAEA's June 6 resolution formally criticising Iran for a lack of cooperation and failure to explain uranium traces found at undeclared sites in Iran. On the same day, the Terrorist Financing Targeting Center (TFTC), a group of countries led by the US and Gulf nations, sanctioned three individuals associated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF) on terror financing. In an almost immediate response, Iran started removing surveillance cameras from nuclear sites in the country, rendering the IAEA blind to nuclear activities in the Iranian plants. Why is JCPOA important? JCPOA, signed on July 14, 2015, and effective from January 2016, was a landmark deal, negotiated over five years between Iran and P5 plus1. It was an ‘instrument of faith’ between the two parties with strict checks and balances which was aimed to ensure that a strict vigil was kept on Iran’s nuclear program, lest Iran develops a nuclear weapon and at the same time, tough and crippling economic sanctions against Iran were to be revoked giving Iran the much needed economic relief. It was a win-win situation for both parties. Scaling down of the nuclear program by Iran coupled with strict monitoring by IAEA ensured that the delicate security and geopolitical balance in the region was not altered. Similarly, Iran was able to again commence its crude oil and natural gas trade and also invite global investments to prop its economy. With the US scaling down its active involvement in military conflicts in the West Asian region and Afghanistan under President Obama, it was necessary to ensure that the potential nuclear threat from Iran was contained and thus JCPOA was clearly a very critical and important deal towards that goal. What happened to JCPOA? Iran was sincere towards the implementation of the JCPOA and did everything that was required of it. Under the deal, Iran could not operate more than 5,000 first-generation IR-1 centrifuges to enrich uranium, that too, only up-to to 3.67 per cent. All uranium enriched to 20 per cent was to be scrapped or shipped out, the core of its Heavy Water Plant at Arak was to be demobilised and most importantly, Iran agreed to ‘anywhere, anytime’ inspections of its nuclear facilities by the IAEA and UN inspectors. Iran stuck to the deal and on 16th January 2016, designated as the Implementation Day, the IAEA verified that Iran had met its all nuclear related commitments, triggering the lifting of sanctions on Iran. Despite former US president Trump unilaterally pulling out of the deal in May 2018, Iran continued compliance till March 6, 2019, the last time that IAEA reported that Iran was implementing all its nuclear-related commitments. The US designating the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran as a Foreign Terrorist Organization on April 8, 2019, was a trigger which was followed immediately by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani announcing on April 9 that Iran will install a cascade of 20 IR-6 centrifuges at Natanz. There has been no stopping thereafter in Iran scaling up its nuclear program. How is Iran making the nuclear deal irrelevant? As far as Iran is concerned, three things are vitally important to it; firstly is the removal of economic sanctions which are hurting it badly, secondly is its right towards a peaceful nuclear program meant for ‘medical research and other peaceful uses’, and thirdly is safeguarding its own role and standing in the region as a major regional power. Of all these, the economy is perhaps the most important and Iran has been steadily working on working around the sanctions over the years. Its 25-year strategic partnership with China offers a large assured market of oil as well as non-oil trade. The ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, too, has provided an opportunity for Iran. Both Russia and China have joined forces and have challenged the western-oriented Dollar trade system based on SWIFT clearance system and have proposed their own trade system. India too announced a sovereign international trade clearing system based on Rupee payment in July 2022. With Iran enjoying close ties with each of these nations, such alternate systems open up great trade opportunities for Iran. This, when seen in the context of the ongoing US-China standoff, India exercising its sovereign choices to buy oil from Russia (and possibly from Iran) and Turkey recently announcing that it will pay Russia in Rubles for natural gas, provide a perfect opportunity for Iran to leverage it and join alternate payment systems and mutual arrangements with these countries to bypass sanctions. Also, with Syria under President Assad stabilizing politically and Iraq heavily under Iran's influence, oil exports through these countries provide additional revenue to Iran. It is perhaps due to this and more loopholes being exploited by Iran that the US Treasury, on 02nd August announced sanctions against UAE and HK-based companies accused of facilitating the sale and transfer of Iranian petrochemical products. On the same day, a media report quoted United Against a Nuclear Iran (UANI), a watchdog group that tracks Iran's network of illegal oil tankers, stating that Iran’s export revenues between March 2021 and March 2022 from oil, gas, and related products totalled $39 billion, compared to $22 billion for the previous year, a rise of 77 per cent and an extra $17 billion, with exports primarily to China and Syria. Iran is therefore slowly and steadily working around economic sanctions imposed by the US. The second issue is the nuclear enrichment program. Iran commenced nuclear enrichment beyond the stipulated limits of JCPOA in April 2019. Later, on 02nd December 2021, Iran's Guardian Council approved the legislation mandating the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran to increase enrichment levels to 20 per cent and to suspend implementation of the Additional Protocol in 60 days if sanctions are not addressed. On 13th April this year, soon after a cyber-attack on the Natanz nuclear plant, Iran announced its intention to enrich uranium to 60 per cent. A resolution adopted by the IAEA on 06th June formally criticizing Iran for a lack of cooperation with it prompted Iran to switch off surveillance cameras resulting in the IAEA having no information on the progress of nuclear enrichment in Iranian plants. Most recently, on 02nd August, Iran announced its plans for further enrichment and stockpiling after the US announced sanctions on companies of UAE and Hong Kong for petrochemical trade with Iran. IR6 centrifuges are enriching uranium at a fast pace and with 27 surveillance cameras switched off, IAEA and the world is virtually blind to Iran’s nuclear activities. With each passing day, Iran is close to stockpiling enough ‘Highly Enriched Uranium’ to produce a nuclear weapon, if it so wants. Last is the issue of geopolitical alignments in the region. Here too, Iran has been carefully forging new ties. The GCC-Qatar standoff in June 2017 brought Qatar closer to Iran. Turkey too is realigning ties with Iran with President Raisi calling the Turkish president’s visit to Tehran in July this year an "important turning point" in improving the relations between the two neighbouring countries. With Saudi Arabia, there have been five rounds of talks, mediated by Iraq, and there were recent reports of both foreign ministers likely to meet soon. The Yemen ceasefire is holding off since Ramadan, an important factor in ties with Saudi Arabia. With UAE, too, there has been a marked progress. UAE recently announced the return of its ambassador to Tehran, and in December 2021, UAE National Security Advisor Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan visited Tehran, signalling an approach to the normalisation of ties. Although it is too premature to say that Iran would be accepted as a trustworthy partner in the largely Sunni Arab world, but new emerging dynamics maybe be beneficial to Iran in the long run. Conclusion For P5 plus 1, the Iran nuclear deal is very important. It gives them and the world an effective control who can watch over suspected Iran’s nuclear weapons program. For Iran, on the other hand, the nuclear deal has now become more of a bargaining chip for issues which transcend the limited context of the nuclear program. Each passing day is making it more and more difficult for the deal to be revived. The world will perhaps one day rue the manner in which former US president Trump blew up the deal and virtually let Iran off the hook. Josep Borrell, the EU’s foreign policy chief, at the conclusion of the Vienna talks on August 8 said, “What can be negotiated has been negotiated, and it’s now in a final text.” The deal is clearly now more than mere technicalities and requires political decision making at the highest level at both ends. Meanwhile, Iran is merrily chugging along, making sure that deal or no deal it is doing enough to safeguard its interests.

With JCPOA revival uncertain, Iran is slowly and surely making the nuclear deal irrelevant

Amid stall talks over the Iran nuclear deal, capital Tehran announced the activation of hundreds of new generation uranium enrichment centrifuges. The move came in as a response to a new wave of US sanctions on firms that allegedly helped to sell Iranian oil.

Tensions simmer between the US and Iran

Iran may soon have enough Uranium to make a nuclear weapon. A latest report by UN nuclear watchdog International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has stated that Iran has uranium quality slightly above the significant levels.

Rise in Iran's enriched Uranium alarms western nations

Iran has been enriching its Uranium to levels that it was not allowed to as it was a part of the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal but it insisted as the Americans violated the deal first. Well, in this report, we bring you the importance of Uraniumin a nuclear program.

Explained: Whats is Uranium enrichment? What is its relevance in nuclear weapon?

US envoy for Iran warned on Friday that Iran was approaching point of no return over revival of 2015 nuclear deal after Tehran boosted stocks of enriched uranium. Talks to revive Iran nuclear deal are to restart on November 29 in Vienna.

Robert Malley, US envoy for Iran said the country was making it "impossible" to gain any benefit from resuming the agreement.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said this week that Iran had again increased stockpile of highly enriched uranium.

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"The time will come if Iran continues at this pace with the advancements they've made, (it) will make it impossible even if we were going to go back to the JCPOA to recapture the benefits," Malley told the Manama Dialogue conference in Bahrain.

The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action was the agreement struck in 2015 under which Iran agreed to clear limits on its nuclear activities in return for an easing of sanctions.

"Iran's advances are spreading alarm across the region... that's what's making the clock tick faster and making all of us say that the time is short for a return to the JCPOA," Malley said.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-has-again-boosted-uranium-stockpile-iaea-reports-430382">Iran has again boosted uranium stockpile, IAEA reports</a>

On Wednesday, the US and its Gulf Arab allies accused Iran of causing a nuclear crisis and destabilising the region with its ballistic missile programme and support for armed militias.

Malley said the US shared a "commonality of purpose" with rivals Russia and China "because we want to avoid that crisis, all of us, the crisis that would be sparked if Iran continues on its current path".&nbsp;

"And I want to be clear, because there's no ambiguity about what they seem to be doing now, which is to drag their feet on the nuclear talks and accelerate the progress in their nuclear programme."

The US envoy said he was not encouraged by the statements from the new Iranian government of President Ebrahim Raisi, which earlier on Friday accused Washington of conducting a "propaganda campaign" against the country.

"If they stick to their public pronouncements, unfortunately we're not headed in the right direction... but let's wait to see what happens," he said, pledging that President Joe Biden would honour a revived deal.

"Our intent, our clear intent in coming back into the deal is to stick with the deal because we don't want to see a nuclear crisis," Malley said.

Iran had reacted angrily to a US pledge to take its Gulf Arab allies' interests into account in any revived nuclear deal with their arch rival.

"The US government, which is responsible for the current situation after withdrawing from the nuclear deal, is once again trying to provoke a crisis," foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh charged.

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

US envoy for Iran warned on Friday that Iran was approaching point of no return over revival of 2015 nuclear deal after Tehran boosted stocks of enriched uranium.

US envoy for Iran warned on Friday that Iran was approaching point of no return over revival of 2015 nuclear deal after Tehran boosted stocks of enriched uranium. Talks to revive Iran nuclear deal are to restart on November 29 in Vienna. Robert Malley, US envoy for Iran said the country was making it "impossible" to gain any benefit from resuming the agreement. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said this week that Iran had again increased stockpile of highly enriched uranium. × "The time will come if Iran continues at this pace with the advancements they've made, (it) will make it impossible even if we were going to go back to the JCPOA to recapture the benefits," Malley told the Manama Dialogue conference in Bahrain. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action was the agreement struck in 2015 under which Iran agreed to clear limits on its nuclear activities in return for an easing of sanctions. "Iran's advances are spreading alarm across the region... that's what's making the clock tick faster and making all of us say that the time is short for a return to the JCPOA," Malley said. Also Read | Iran has again boosted uranium stockpile, IAEA reports On Wednesday, the US and its Gulf Arab allies accused Iran of causing a nuclear crisis and destabilising the region with its ballistic missile programme and support for armed militias. Malley said the US shared a "commonality of purpose" with rivals Russia and China "because we want to avoid that crisis, all of us, the crisis that would be sparked if Iran continues on its current path". "And I want to be clear, because there's no ambiguity about what they seem to be doing now, which is to drag their feet on the nuclear talks and accelerate the progress in their nuclear programme." The US envoy said he was not encouraged by the statements from the new Iranian government of President Ebrahim Raisi, which earlier on Friday accused Washington of conducting a "propaganda campaign" against the country. "If they stick to their public pronouncements, unfortunately we're not headed in the right direction... but let's wait to see what happens," he said, pledging that President Joe Biden would honour a revived deal. "Our intent, our clear intent in coming back into the deal is to stick with the deal because we don't want to see a nuclear crisis," Malley said. Iran had reacted angrily to a US pledge to take its Gulf Arab allies' interests into account in any revived nuclear deal with their arch rival. "The US government, which is responsible for the current situation after withdrawing from the nuclear deal, is once again trying to provoke a crisis," foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh charged. (With inputs from agencies)

'Time is short' for Iran to return to nuclear deal: US envoy

The UN nuclear watchdog on Wednesday reported that Iran has again boosted its stock of highly enriched uranium, just days before talks are set to resume seeking to revive the 2015 nuclear deal.

In a report seen by AFP, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) estimated Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium at 2,489.7 kilograms -- many times in excess of the limit laid down in the 2015 agreement.

The total amount now includes 113.8 kg enriched to 20 percent, up from 84.3 kg in September, and 17.7 kg enriched up to 60 percent, up from 10 kg, the report said.

The document will be discussed during the IAEA's Board of Governors, scheduled for next week with diplomats preparing to restart talks in Vienna on November 29 over reviving the moribund 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers.

The remaining parties to the deal -- Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia -- will join the talks while the United States will participate indirectly.

Iran's acting head of mission to UN agencies in Vienna, Mohammad Reza Ghaebi, said the new report "shows that the IAEA has continued its verification and surveillance activities regarding Tehran's engagements."

Quoted by Iranian media, he said that talks were ongoing to "solve some issues between the two parties" and called on IAEA member states to refrain from "making hasty or politically motivated comments".

A spokesman for Iran's atomic agency told Fars news agency on Wednesday that IAEA chief Rafael Grossi would arrive in Tehran on Monday.&nbsp;

Grossi will meet Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and Iranian Atomic Energy Organization chief Mohammad Eslami on Tuesday, the spokesman added.

- 'Astonishing' lack of contact -

On November 12, Grossi described as "astonishing" his lack of contact with the new Iranian government of President Ebrahim Raisi.

He said he had hoped to meet Iranian officials ahead of the next meeting of the IAEA's Board of Governors, scheduled for next week.

During Grossi's last visit to Tehran in September, he clinched a deal on access to monitoring equipment at Iran's nuclear facilities.

But days later, the IAEA complained that it was prevented from "indispensable" access to a unit at the TESA complex in the city of Karaj, near Tehran, in violation of the September deal.

Iran's ambassador to the IAEA rejected the charge, however, tweeting that "equipment related to this complex are not included for servicing", referring to IAEA work on its monitoring equipment.

The IAEA on Wednesday also "categorically" denied its cameras had played a part in an unclaimed June attack on the TESA complex.

Tehran -- which has blamed its arch-enemy Israel -- told the agency it was investigating the possibility, the IAEA said in its report.

'Excessively invasive'

The agreement that Grossi reached in September was an extension of a deal struck in February after Iran limited some of the IAEA's activities in the country.

Wednesday's report warned, however, that the repeated prolongation of the agreement was "becoming a significant challenge to the Agency's ability to restore... continuity of knowledge" about Iran's nuclear activities.

It warned that establishing clarity on activities in Karaj "has been widely recognised as essential in relation to a return to the JCPOA", referring to the 2015 nuclear deal.

The Vienna talks later this month will discuss the possibility of reviving that agreement, which offered Tehran relief from sanctions in exchange for major curbs on its nuclear activities.

The United States unilaterally pulled out of the accord in 2018 under the administration of President Donald Trump.

In response, Iran began in 2019 walking back on its commitments under the nuclear deal, notably increasing its uranium enrichment.&nbsp;

In a separate report also issued on Wednesday, the IAEA said there had been virtually no progress in resolving several questions the agency has about the previous presence of nuclear material at undeclared sites in the country.

That report also noted that Grossi was "concerned by the incidences of Agency inspectors being subjected to excessively invasive physical searches by security officials at nuclear facilities" and called on Iran to "take immediate steps to rectify the situation".

The UN nuclear watchdog on Wednesday reported that Iran has again boosted its stock of highly enriched uranium, just days before talks are set to resume seeking to revive the 2015 nuclear deal.

The UN nuclear watchdog on Wednesday reported that Iran has again boosted its stock of highly enriched uranium, just days before talks are set to resume seeking to revive the 2015 nuclear deal. In a report seen by AFP, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) estimated Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium at 2,489.7 kilograms -- many times in excess of the limit laid down in the 2015 agreement. The total amount now includes 113.8 kg enriched to 20 percent, up from 84.3 kg in September, and 17.7 kg enriched up to 60 percent, up from 10 kg, the report said. The document will be discussed during the IAEA's Board of Governors, scheduled for next week with diplomats preparing to restart talks in Vienna on November 29 over reviving the moribund 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers. The remaining parties to the deal -- Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia -- will join the talks while the United States will participate indirectly. Iran's acting head of mission to UN agencies in Vienna, Mohammad Reza Ghaebi, said the new report "shows that the IAEA has continued its verification and surveillance activities regarding Tehran's engagements." Quoted by Iranian media, he said that talks were ongoing to "solve some issues between the two parties" and called on IAEA member states to refrain from "making hasty or politically motivated comments". A spokesman for Iran's atomic agency told Fars news agency on Wednesday that IAEA chief Rafael Grossi would arrive in Tehran on Monday. Grossi will meet Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and Iranian Atomic Energy Organization chief Mohammad Eslami on Tuesday, the spokesman added. - 'Astonishing' lack of contact - On November 12, Grossi described as "astonishing" his lack of contact with the new Iranian government of President Ebrahim Raisi. He said he had hoped to meet Iranian officials ahead of the next meeting of the IAEA's Board of Governors, scheduled for next week. During Grossi's last visit to Tehran in September, he clinched a deal on access to monitoring equipment at Iran's nuclear facilities. But days later, the IAEA complained that it was prevented from "indispensable" access to a unit at the TESA complex in the city of Karaj, near Tehran, in violation of the September deal. Iran's ambassador to the IAEA rejected the charge, however, tweeting that "equipment related to this complex are not included for servicing", referring to IAEA work on its monitoring equipment. The IAEA on Wednesday also "categorically" denied its cameras had played a part in an unclaimed June attack on the TESA complex. Tehran -- which has blamed its arch-enemy Israel -- told the agency it was investigating the possibility, the IAEA said in its report. 'Excessively invasive' The agreement that Grossi reached in September was an extension of a deal struck in February after Iran limited some of the IAEA's activities in the country. Wednesday's report warned, however, that the repeated prolongation of the agreement was "becoming a significant challenge to the Agency's ability to restore... continuity of knowledge" about Iran's nuclear activities. It warned that establishing clarity on activities in Karaj "has been widely recognised as essential in relation to a return to the JCPOA", referring to the 2015 nuclear deal. The Vienna talks later this month will discuss the possibility of reviving that agreement, which offered Tehran relief from sanctions in exchange for major curbs on its nuclear activities. The United States unilaterally pulled out of the accord in 2018 under the administration of President Donald Trump. In response, Iran began in 2019 walking back on its commitments under the nuclear deal, notably increasing its uranium enrichment. In a separate report also issued on Wednesday, the IAEA said there had been virtually no progress in resolving several questions the agency has about the previous presence of nuclear material at undeclared sites in the country. That report also noted that Grossi was "concerned by the incidences of Agency inspectors being subjected to excessively invasive physical searches by security officials at nuclear facilities" and called on Iran to "take immediate steps to rectify the situation".

Iran has again boosted uranium stockpile, IAEA reports

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has estimated that Iran's stockpile of highly enriched Uranium is at 2,489.7 kg, this exceeds the limit that was laid down in the 2015 agreement. The document will be discussed during the IAEA meeting scheduled for the next meet.

IAEA: Iran boosting stockpile of highly enriched Uranium again

North Korea can get all the uranium it needs for nuclear weapons through its existing Pyongsan mill, and satellite imagery of tailings piles suggests the country can produce far more nuclear fuel than it is, a new academic study concludes.

Despite a self-imposed moratorium on nuclear weapons tests since 2017, North Korea has said it is continuing to build its arsenal, and this year it appeared to have restarted a reactor that is widely believed to have produced weapons-grade plutonium.

According to research published last month in the journal Science &amp; Global Security by researchers at Stanford University and an Arizona-based mining consulting company, North Korea may be able to increase production, and has no need for other uranium mills.

"It is clear that the DPRK appears to have substantially more milling capacity than it has been using to date," said the report, using the initials of North Korea`s official name, the Democratic People`s Republic of Korea. "This means that the DPRK could produce much greater quantities of milled natural uranium if desired."

The Pyongsan Uranium Concentration Plant and its associated mine are North Korea`s only publicly acknowledged source of yellowcake, or uranium ore, according to analysts.

The report comes as other satellite imagery shows North Korea is building a large expansion at its Yongbyon nuclear reactor, which analysts say may be used to produce weapons-grade uranium.

"Given the DPRK’s active nuclear program, it is of utmost importance to assess and understand its nuclear materials production capabilities," wrote the report`s authors, who submitted their findings in April.

These capabilities govern the rate at which North Korea might expand its nuclear arsenal, determine the magnitude of the threat to international security and the challenge of potential nuclear disarmament, and measure North Korea`s ability to fuel its future nuclear energy program, the report said.

GROWING NUCLEAR ARSENAL

The question over how many nuclear weapons North Korea possesses is a key issue for intelligence agencies in South Korea and the United States, as well as for any talks aimed at limiting or reducing North Korea’s arsenal.

The United States, which wants Pyongyang to surrender its nuclear arsenal, has said it is open to meeting with North Korea without preconditions. North Korea says talks are only possible after the United States and its allies drop hostile policies.

Intelligence on North Korean nuclear weapons is limited, but David Albright, president of the Institute for Science and International Security, has told Reuters he estimates the country has the capacity to produce material for four to six warheads a year.

The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in September that North Korea’s "nuclear programme goes full steam ahead with work on plutonium separation, uranium enrichment and other activities."

There have been no reported accounts of outside inspector access to the Pyongsan uranium mine after the IAEA visited in 1992, leaving details of the mill uncertain, the academic report said.

The authors used artificial intelligence algorithms developed by Orbital Insight, a California-based geospatial analytics company, to analyse satellite imagery for land use patterns around the Pyongsan facility.

Yellowcake from the mine and mill is a key component of North Korea`s nuclear fuel production, including its 5-megawatt (MW) reactor, which is seen as capable of producing weapons-grade plutonium.

The IAEA and other analysts reported over the summer that the reactor appeared to be operating for the first time since 2018.

North Korea can get all the uranium it needs for nuclear weapons through its existing Pyongsan mill, and satellite imagery of tailings piles suggests the country can produce far more nuclear fuel than it is, a new academic study concludes.

North Korea can get all the uranium it needs for nuclear weapons through its existing Pyongsan mill, and satellite imagery of tailings piles suggests the country can produce far more nuclear fuel than it is, a new academic study concludes. Despite a self-imposed moratorium on nuclear weapons tests since 2017, North Korea has said it is continuing to build its arsenal, and this year it appeared to have restarted a reactor that is widely believed to have produced weapons-grade plutonium. According to research published last month in the journal Science & Global Security by researchers at Stanford University and an Arizona-based mining consulting company, North Korea may be able to increase production, and has no need for other uranium mills. "It is clear that the DPRK appears to have substantially more milling capacity than it has been using to date," said the report, using the initials of North Korea`s official name, the Democratic People`s Republic of Korea. "This means that the DPRK could produce much greater quantities of milled natural uranium if desired." The Pyongsan Uranium Concentration Plant and its associated mine are North Korea`s only publicly acknowledged source of yellowcake, or uranium ore, according to analysts. The report comes as other satellite imagery shows North Korea is building a large expansion at its Yongbyon nuclear reactor, which analysts say may be used to produce weapons-grade uranium. "Given the DPRK’s active nuclear program, it is of utmost importance to assess and understand its nuclear materials production capabilities," wrote the report`s authors, who submitted their findings in April. These capabilities govern the rate at which North Korea might expand its nuclear arsenal, determine the magnitude of the threat to international security and the challenge of potential nuclear disarmament, and measure North Korea`s ability to fuel its future nuclear energy program, the report said. GROWING NUCLEAR ARSENAL The question over how many nuclear weapons North Korea possesses is a key issue for intelligence agencies in South Korea and the United States, as well as for any talks aimed at limiting or reducing North Korea’s arsenal. The United States, which wants Pyongyang to surrender its nuclear arsenal, has said it is open to meeting with North Korea without preconditions. North Korea says talks are only possible after the United States and its allies drop hostile policies. Intelligence on North Korean nuclear weapons is limited, but David Albright, president of the Institute for Science and International Security, has told Reuters he estimates the country has the capacity to produce material for four to six warheads a year. The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in September that North Korea’s "nuclear programme goes full steam ahead with work on plutonium separation, uranium enrichment and other activities." There have been no reported accounts of outside inspector access to the Pyongsan uranium mine after the IAEA visited in 1992, leaving details of the mill uncertain, the academic report said. The authors used artificial intelligence algorithms developed by Orbital Insight, a California-based geospatial analytics company, to analyse satellite imagery for land use patterns around the Pyongsan facility. Yellowcake from the mine and mill is a key component of North Korea`s nuclear fuel production, including its 5-megawatt (MW) reactor, which is seen as capable of producing weapons-grade plutonium. The IAEA and other analysts reported over the summer that the reactor appeared to be operating for the first time since 2018.

North Korea can produce more uranium for nukes than current rate: Report

The European Union and Iran officials are set to meet in Brussels this week for talks on restarting negotiations over Iran’s nuclear deal. This comes after International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said that Iran is once again expanding its Uranium enrichment program beyond the allowed limit.

Iran, EU to hold nuclear talks in Brussels this week

The recent satellite images which have emerged show that North Korea is expanding a uranium enrichment plant at its main Yongbyon nuclear complex as experts say that the move shows an intent to boost the production of bomb materials.

The assessment comes after North Korea recently raised tensions with its first missile test in six months.

“The expansion of the enrichment plant probably indicates that North Korea plans to increase its production of weapons-grade uranium at the Yongbyon site by as much as 25 per cent,” said Jeffrey Lewis and two other experts at Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey.

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Photos Show North Korea Expanding Uranium Enrichment Plant Recent satellite images show North Korea is expanding a uranium enrichment plant at its main nuclear complex. <a href="https://t.co/S2NhwxRObO">https://t.co/S2NhwxRObO</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/USNews?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#USNews</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/USRC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#USRC</a> <a href="https://t.co/bYj8nTmZNG">pic.twitter.com/bYj8nTmZNG</a>
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As per the report, the photos taken by satellite imagery company Maxar showed construction in an area adjoining the uranium enrichment plant at Yongbyon.

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The satellite image taken on September 1 highlighted that North Korea had cleared trees and prepared the ground for construction. Also, an excavator was also visible.

The report said a second image was taken on September 14, and it showed a wall erected to enclose the area, work on a foundation and panels removed from the side of the enrichment building to provide access to the newly enclosed area.

According to the report, the new area is approximately 1,000 sq metres and this would increase the plant’s capacity to produce highly enriched uranium by 25 per cent.

Earlier, North Korea launched both ballistic and cruise missiles toward the sea in tests. This was seen as an effort to diversify its missile forces and strengthen its attack capability on South Korea and Japan, where a total of 80,000 American troops are based.&nbsp;

Experts say both types of missiles could be armed with nuclear warheads.

The recent satellite images which have emerged show that North Korea is expanding a uranium enrichment plant at its main Yongbyon nuclear complex as experts say that the move shows an intent to boost the production of bomb materials.

The recent satellite images which have emerged show that North Korea is expanding a uranium enrichment plant at its main Yongbyon nuclear complex as experts say that the move shows an intent to boost the production of bomb materials. The assessment comes after North Korea recently raised tensions with its first missile test in six months. “The expansion of the enrichment plant probably indicates that North Korea plans to increase its production of weapons-grade uranium at the Yongbyon site by as much as 25 per cent,” said Jeffrey Lewis and two other experts at Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey. Photos Show North Korea Expanding Uranium Enrichment Plant Recent satellite images show North Korea is expanding a uranium enrichment plant at its main nuclear complex. https://t.co/S2NhwxRObO #USNews #USRC pic.twitter.com/bYj8nTmZNG — Top U.S. & World News🗽 (@USRealityCheck) September 18, 2021 × As per the report, the photos taken by satellite imagery company Maxar showed construction in an area adjoining the uranium enrichment plant at Yongbyon. Also read | Duplicity and lies, says France after Australia cancels submarine deal The satellite image taken on September 1 highlighted that North Korea had cleared trees and prepared the ground for construction. Also, an excavator was also visible. The report said a second image was taken on September 14, and it showed a wall erected to enclose the area, work on a foundation and panels removed from the side of the enrichment building to provide access to the newly enclosed area. According to the report, the new area is approximately 1,000 sq metres and this would increase the plant’s capacity to produce highly enriched uranium by 25 per cent. Earlier, North Korea launched both ballistic and cruise missiles toward the sea in tests. This was seen as an effort to diversify its missile forces and strengthen its attack capability on South Korea and Japan, where a total of 80,000 American troops are based. Experts say both types of missiles could be armed with nuclear warheads.

Satellite images show North Korea expanding weapons-grade uranium plant

Expanding its effort to cut carbon emissions, China opened its first plant that will turn radioactive waste into glass.

The disposal technique was carried out on Saturday at a facility in Guangyuan in southwest Sichuan province, according to state news outlet The Global Times which cited the country’s State Administration of Science, Technology, and Industry for National Defence.

Although some elements such as uranium can be recycled in a reprocessing facility, the remaining spent fuel needs to be disposed of safely.

Nuclear power is often viewed as a green source of energy due to nuclear power plants not producing greenhouse gasses.

However, a major environmental concern related to nuclear power failure to dispose of radioactive wastes such as uranium mill tailings, reactor fuel, and other radioactive wastes.

However, they do produce nuclear waste, because although spent nuclear fuel is no longer useful for generating power, it does still release heat and radiation&nbsp;for many, many years afterwards.

China’s disposal method was carried out by mixing liquid nuclear waste with glass materials at temperatures of around 1,100 degrees Celsius.

Once cooled, the nuclear waste is then stored within the glass, which helps prevent dangerous radioactivity from leaking out.

China is not the first country in the world to perform this technique, which is referred to as nuclear waste vitrification.

A number of countries, including the US, France, Germany and others have disposed of nuclear waste in this way.

(With inputs from agencies)

Expanding its effort to cut carbon emissions, China opened its first plant that will turn radioactive waste into glass. The disposal technique was carried out on Saturday at a facility in Guangyuan in southwest Sichuan province, according to state news outlet The Global Times which cited the country’s State Administration of Science, Technology, and Industry for National Defence.

Expanding its effort to cut carbon emissions, China opened its first plant that will turn radioactive waste into glass. The disposal technique was carried out on Saturday at a facility in Guangyuan in southwest Sichuan province, according to state news outlet The Global Times which cited the country’s State Administration of Science, Technology, and Industry for National Defence. Although some elements such as uranium can be recycled in a reprocessing facility, the remaining spent fuel needs to be disposed of safely. Nuclear power is often viewed as a green source of energy due to nuclear power plants not producing greenhouse gasses. However, a major environmental concern related to nuclear power failure to dispose of radioactive wastes such as uranium mill tailings, reactor fuel, and other radioactive wastes. However, they do produce nuclear waste, because although spent nuclear fuel is no longer useful for generating power, it does still release heat and radiation for many, many years afterwards. China’s disposal method was carried out by mixing liquid nuclear waste with glass materials at temperatures of around 1,100 degrees Celsius. Once cooled, the nuclear waste is then stored within the glass, which helps prevent dangerous radioactivity from leaking out. China is not the first country in the world to perform this technique, which is referred to as nuclear waste vitrification. A number of countries, including the US, France, Germany and others have disposed of nuclear waste in this way. (With inputs from agencies)

China opens its first plant that turns radioactive waste into glass

Iran has increased its production of highly enriched uranium in recent months, while refusing to resume full cooperation with inspectors.

Iran enriches production of highly enriched uranium

Iran President Hassan Rouhani has said that they could enrich uranium's purity up to 90%. However, he did say that the country is still seeking the revival of a 2015 deal that would limit its atomic activities in return for a lifting of sanctions.

Hassan Rouhani: Iran can enrich Uranium's purity up to 90% if needed

Iran has begun the process of producing enriched uranium metal. Iran's decision drew criticism from the United States, which called them an 'unfortunate step backwards'.

Iran takes steps to make enriched Uranium metal, decision draws criticism

The UN nuclear watchdog has voiced concern that Iran had not clarified queries over possible undeclared nuclear activity, adding that its enriched uranium stockpile was 16 times over the limit.

UN Nuclear watchdog concerned over undeclared Iran site

Iran has enriched uranium to up to 63% purity at its above-ground Natanz enrichment plant, even higher than the 60% it had announced, the U.N. nuclear watchdog said on Tuesday in a report seen by Reuters, citing fluctuations in enrichment levels. 
 
"According to Iran, fluctuations of the enrichment levels ... were experienced," the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in the report to its member states. 
 
"The Agency`s analysis of the ES (environmental samples) taken on 22 April 2021 shows an enrichment level of up to 63% U-235, which is consistent with the fluctuations of the enrichment levels (described by Iran)," it added, without saying why the fluctuations had occurred.

Iran has enriched uranium to up to 63% purity at its above-ground Natanz enrichment plant, even higher than the 60% it had announced, the U.N. nuclear watchdog said on Tuesday in a report seen by Reuters, citing fluctuations in enrichment levels.

Iran has enriched uranium to up to 63% purity at its above-ground Natanz enrichment plant, even higher than the 60% it had announced, the U.N. nuclear watchdog said on Tuesday in a report seen by Reuters, citing fluctuations in enrichment levels. "According to Iran, fluctuations of the enrichment levels ... were experienced," the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in the report to its member states. "The Agency`s analysis of the ES (environmental samples) taken on 22 April 2021 shows an enrichment level of up to 63% U-235, which is consistent with the fluctuations of the enrichment levels (described by Iran)," it added, without saying why the fluctuations had occurred.

Iran has enriched uranium up to 63% purity, IAEA report says

Iran has started the process of enriching uranium to 60% fissile purity at an above-ground nuclear plant at Natanz, the UN nuclear watchdog said on Saturday, confirming earlier statements by Iranian officials.&nbsp;

The move has complicated talks aimed at reviving Iran's nuclear deal with major powers as it is a big step towards producing weapons-grade uranium.&nbsp;

Iran had previously only reached 20% purity, and that was already a breach of the deal, which says Iran can only enrich to 3.67%.&nbsp;

Iran made the step up to 60% in response to an explosion that damaged equipment at the larger, underground Fuel Enrichment Plant at Natanz. Tehran has blamed Israel and named a man wanted in connection with the blast.&nbsp;

"The Agency today verified that Iran had begun the production of UF6 enriched up to 60%... at the (above-ground) Natanz Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant," the International Atomic Energy Agency said in a statement. &nbsp;

UF6 is uranium hexafluoride, the form in which uranium is fed into centrifuges for enrichment.&nbsp;

A confidential IAEA report to member states provided more details. &nbsp;

"According to Iran's declaration to the Agency, the enrichment level of the UF6 produced at PFEP was 55.3% U-235. The Agency took a sample of the produced UF6 for destructive analysis to independently verify the enrichment level declared by Iran. The results of this analysis will be reported by the Agency in due course," the report said. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Iran has started the process of enriching uranium to 60% fissile purity at an above-ground nuclear plant at Natanz, the UN nuclear watchdog said on Saturday, confirming earlier statements by Iranian officials.

Iran has started the process of enriching uranium to 60% fissile purity at an above-ground nuclear plant at Natanz, the UN nuclear watchdog said on Saturday, confirming earlier statements by Iranian officials. The move has complicated talks aimed at reviving Iran's nuclear deal with major powers as it is a big step towards producing weapons-grade uranium. Iran had previously only reached 20% purity, and that was already a breach of the deal, which says Iran can only enrich to 3.67%. Iran made the step up to 60% in response to an explosion that damaged equipment at the larger, underground Fuel Enrichment Plant at Natanz. Tehran has blamed Israel and named a man wanted in connection with the blast. "The Agency today verified that Iran had begun the production of UF6 enriched up to 60%... at the (above-ground) Natanz Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant," the International Atomic Energy Agency said in a statement. UF6 is uranium hexafluoride, the form in which uranium is fed into centrifuges for enrichment. A confidential IAEA report to member states provided more details. "According to Iran's declaration to the Agency, the enrichment level of the UF6 produced at PFEP was 55.3% U-235. The Agency took a sample of the produced UF6 for destructive analysis to independently verify the enrichment level declared by Iran. The results of this analysis will be reported by the Agency in due course," the report said. (With inputs from agencies)

Iran has started enriching uranium to 60% purity, confirms IAEA 

The European countries party to the Iran nuclear deal told Tehran on Wednesday its decision to enrich uranium at 60% purity, bringing the fissile material closer to bomb-grade, was contrary to efforts to revive the 2015 accord.&nbsp;

But in an apparent signal to Iran's arch-adversary Israel, which Tehran blamed for an explosion at its key nuclear site on Sunday, European powers Germany, France and Britain added that they rejected 'all escalatory measures by any actor'.&nbsp;

Israel, which the Islamic Republic does not recognise, has not formally commented on the incident at Iran's Natanz site, which appeared the latest twist in a long-running covert war.&nbsp;

The nuclear deal has unravelled as Iran has breached its limits on uranium enrichment in a graduated response to the US withdrawal from it in 2018 and Washington’s reinstatement of harsh economic sanctions against the Islamic Republic.&nbsp;

Last week, Iran and fellow signatories held what they described as 'constructive' talks to restore the deal ditched by ex-president Donald Trump's administration, which saw the terms as too lenient on Tehran, in a move welcomed by Israel.&nbsp;

The United States and Iran will reconvene indirect talks on Thursday in Vienna, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said.&nbsp;

But Britain, France and Germany said Tehran's new decision to enrich at 60 per cent, and activate 1,000 advanced centrifuge machines at its Natanz plant, was at odds with the talks, not based on credible civilian reasons and constituted an important step towards the production of a nuclear weapon.&nbsp;

"Iran's announcements are particularly regrettable given they come at a time when all JCPoA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) participants and the United States have started substantive discussions, with the objective of finding a rapid diplomatic solution to revitalise and restore the JCPoA," the three countries said in a statement, referring to the 2015 deal.&nbsp;

"Iran’s dangerous recent communication is contrary to the constructive spirit and good faith of these discussions," it said of the talks, which resume between Iran and global powers in Vienna on Thursday, aimed at salvaging the accord.&nbsp;

In an apparent rebuff later on Wednesday, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the United States was trying to impose its terms for rescuing the deal and European powers were doing Washington's bidding.&nbsp;

"America does not seek to accept the truth in negotiations ... Its goal in talks is to impose its own wrong wishes ... European parties to the deal follow America's policies in talks despite acknowledging Iran’s rights," Khamenei, who has the last word on Iranian matters of state, was quoted as saying by state television.&nbsp;

"The nuclear talks in Vienna must not become talks of attrition...This is harmful for our country."&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

The European countries party to the Iran nuclear deal told Tehran on Wednesday its decision to enrich uranium at 60% purity, bringing the fissile material closer to bomb-grade, was contrary to efforts to revive the 2015 accord.

The European countries party to the Iran nuclear deal told Tehran on Wednesday its decision to enrich uranium at 60% purity, bringing the fissile material closer to bomb-grade, was contrary to efforts to revive the 2015 accord. But in an apparent signal to Iran's arch-adversary Israel, which Tehran blamed for an explosion at its key nuclear site on Sunday, European powers Germany, France and Britain added that they rejected 'all escalatory measures by any actor'. Israel, which the Islamic Republic does not recognise, has not formally commented on the incident at Iran's Natanz site, which appeared the latest twist in a long-running covert war. The nuclear deal has unravelled as Iran has breached its limits on uranium enrichment in a graduated response to the US withdrawal from it in 2018 and Washington’s reinstatement of harsh economic sanctions against the Islamic Republic. Last week, Iran and fellow signatories held what they described as 'constructive' talks to restore the deal ditched by ex-president Donald Trump's administration, which saw the terms as too lenient on Tehran, in a move welcomed by Israel. The United States and Iran will reconvene indirect talks on Thursday in Vienna, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said. But Britain, France and Germany said Tehran's new decision to enrich at 60 per cent, and activate 1,000 advanced centrifuge machines at its Natanz plant, was at odds with the talks, not based on credible civilian reasons and constituted an important step towards the production of a nuclear weapon. "Iran's announcements are particularly regrettable given they come at a time when all JCPoA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) participants and the United States have started substantive discussions, with the objective of finding a rapid diplomatic solution to revitalise and restore the JCPoA," the three countries said in a statement, referring to the 2015 deal. "Iran’s dangerous recent communication is contrary to the constructive spirit and good faith of these discussions," it said of the talks, which resume between Iran and global powers in Vienna on Thursday, aimed at salvaging the accord. In an apparent rebuff later on Wednesday, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the United States was trying to impose its terms for rescuing the deal and European powers were doing Washington's bidding. "America does not seek to accept the truth in negotiations ... Its goal in talks is to impose its own wrong wishes ... European parties to the deal follow America's policies in talks despite acknowledging Iran’s rights," Khamenei, who has the last word on Iranian matters of state, was quoted as saying by state television. "The nuclear talks in Vienna must not become talks of attrition...This is harmful for our country." (With inputs from agencies)

European powers warn Iran over 'dangerous' uranium enrichment move 

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani has said that Tehran's decision to boost uranium enrichment to 60% was a response to Israel's "nuclear terrorism," three days after an attack on its Natanz nuclear facility.

Iran says 60% Uranium enrichment answer to 'nuclear terrorism'

Iran is going to begin enriching uranium at 60 per cent purity starting Wednesday, Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator Abbas Araghchi announced on Tuesday, state media reported. Meanwhile, the Chinese government has warned the United States to refrain from playing with fire, immediately stop official contact with Taiwan in any form. Read on to know more.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-to-begin-enriching-uranium-at-60-per-cent-purity-state-media-377331">Iran to begin enriching uranium at 60 per cent purity: State media</a>

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In February this year, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had said that Iran could increase its level of uranium enrichment to whatever the country needs, including up to 60%.

 
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The escalating feud between Manila and Beijing started after more than 200 Chinese vessels suspected by Philippine authorities to be operated by militias were spotted early last month at Whitsun Reef

 
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<img alt="Top 10" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="4ca7e1ab-48b0-4e01-be05-0f2044fa9c1e" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Topp%2010.PNG" />

Russia recently stationed soldiers along the Ukraine border and also accused Western countries of supplying arms to Ukraine.

Iran is going to begin enriching uranium at 60 per cent purity starting Wednesday, Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator Abbas Araghchi announced on Tuesday, state media reported.

Iran is going to begin enriching uranium at 60 per cent purity starting Wednesday, Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator Abbas Araghchi announced on Tuesday, state media reported. Meanwhile, the Chinese government has warned the United States to refrain from playing with fire, immediately stop official contact with Taiwan in any form. Read on to know more. Iran to begin enriching uranium at 60 per cent purity: State media In February this year, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had said that Iran could increase its level of uranium enrichment to whatever the country needs, including up to 60%. Stop any form of US-Taiwan official contacts: China warns America China urges the United States “not to play with fire on the Taiwan issue, immediately stop any form of U.S.-Taiwan official contacts, cautiously and appropriately handle the matter, and not send wrong signals to Taiwan independence forces. US halts use of Johnson & Johnson vaccine due to rare blood clotting issues “COVID-19 vaccine safety is a top priority for the federal government, and we take all reports of health problems following COVID-19 vaccination very seriously,” the FDA said in a joint statement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. UN rights chief sees Syria repeating in Myanmar, calls for halt to 'slaughter' UN High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet said in a statement 3,080 had been detained and there are reports that 23 people have been sentenced to death following secret trials. Ukraine minister calls for military help, more sanctions on Russia "At the operational level, we need measures which will deter Russia and which will contain its aggressive intentions. This could be ... a new round of sanctions which would raise the price of Russian aggression," Kuleba told a news conference at NATO alongside NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. China warns 34 tech firms to 'rectify' any anti-competitive measures after record Alibaba fine The move suggests Beijing's scrutiny of its most powerful tech firms is far from over, with regulators warning they will continue to eradicate monopoly practices and telling internet companies to 'heed the warning of Alibaba's case’ Mexico detains 30 Marines in collection with disappearances of several people in 2014 "Thirty naval service members were made available to the Attorney General's Office on April 9 in compliance with arrest warrants... for the alleged crime of forced disappearance of persons," the Navy Secretariat said in a statement Bitcoin hits record high above $62,000 After crashing in 2018, the value of bitcoin rebounded and it has set records since late last year - rocketing from around $12,000 in October to more than $60,000 a month ago. Philippines summons Chinese ambassador over reef dispute in South China Sea The escalating feud between Manila and Beijing started after more than 200 Chinese vessels suspected by Philippine authorities to be operated by militias were spotted early last month at Whitsun Reef Russia accuses US, other NATO countries of turning Ukraine into 'powder keg' Russia recently stationed soldiers along the Ukraine border and also accused Western countries of supplying arms to Ukraine.

Top 10 World News: Iran to begin enriching uranium at 60% purity, and more

Iran is going to begin enriching uranium at 60 per cent purity starting Wednesday, Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator Abbas Araghchi announced on Tuesday, state media reported. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/we-will-take-our-revenge-from-the-zionists-iran-blames-israel-for-natanz-incident-376980">Also read | 'We will take our revenge from the Zionists': Iran blames Israel for Natanz incident</a> 
 
“Iran has informed the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of its plan to start 60 per cent uranium enrichment as of Wednesday,” Iran’s Press TV cited Araghchi as saying. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-atomic-agency-claims-nuclear-facility-hit-by-terrorism-376886">Also read: Iran atomic agency claims nuclear facility hit by 'terrorism'</a>

In February this year, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had said that Iran could increase its level of uranium enrichment to whatever the country needs, including up to 60%.

Under the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and six world powers, Iran is limited to refining uranium to 3.67%.&nbsp;

On Monday, Iran accused arch-foe Israel of sabotaging its key Natanz nuclear site and vowed revenge for an attack that appeared to be the latest episode in a long-running covert war.

Iran said the person who caused an electricity outage in one of the production halls at the underground uranium enrichment plant had been identified. “Necessary measures are being taken to arrest this person,” Iranian state media reported, without giving further details.

The incident occurred amid diplomatic efforts by Iran and the United States to revive Tehran’s 2015 nuclear deal with major powers, an accord Israel fiercely opposed, after former U.S. President Donald Trump abandoned it three years ago.

(With inputs from agencies)

Iran is going to begin enriching uranium at 60 per cent purity starting Wednesday, Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator Abbas Araghchi announced on Tuesday, state media reported. Also read | 'We will take our revenge from the Zionists': Iran blames Israel for Natanz incident “Iran has informed the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of its plan to start 60 per cent uranium enrichment as of Wednesday,” Iran’s Press TV cited Araghchi as saying. Also read: Iran atomic agency claims nuclear facility hit by 'terrorism' In February this year, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had said that Iran could increase its level of uranium enrichment to whatever the country needs, including up to 60%. Under the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and six world powers, Iran is limited to refining uranium to 3.67%. On Monday, Iran accused arch-foe Israel of sabotaging its key Natanz nuclear site and vowed revenge for an attack that appeared to be the latest episode in a long-running covert war. Iran said the person who caused an electricity outage in one of the production halls at the underground uranium enrichment plant had been identified. “Necessary measures are being taken to arrest this person,” Iranian state media reported, without giving further details. The incident occurred amid diplomatic efforts by Iran and the United States to revive Tehran’s 2015 nuclear deal with major powers, an accord Israel fiercely opposed, after former U.S. President Donald Trump abandoned it three years ago. (With inputs from agencies)

Iran to begin enriching uranium at 60 per cent purity: State media

Supreme leader Ali Khamenei has said that Iran might enrich Uranium up to 60% purity if the country needed to do so, adding that Iran will never yield to American pressure over its nuclear program.

WION Dispatch: Ali Khamenei says Iran may enrich Uranium up to 60%

Ali Khamenei says Iran may enrich Uranium up to 60%

India as a responsible nuclear weapon state has reiterated its position of no first use of nuclear weapons and said it is committed as per its nuclear doctrine to maintain credible minimum deterrence with the posture of no-first-use and non-use against non-nuclear-weapon states, Foreign Secretary Harsh Shiringla said on Monday.&nbsp;

Addressing a high-level segment conference on Disarmament under the Presidency of Brazil, Shringla said, India is committed to the goal of universal, non-discriminatory and verifiable nuclear disarmament."&nbsp;

Our call for the complete elimination of nuclear weapons through a step-by-step process, as also outlined in our Working Paper on Nuclear Disarmament submitted to the Conference of Disarmament in 2007 (CD) has enduring relevance," he said.&nbsp;

India reiterates its call to undertake the steps outlined in the Working Paper, including negotiation in the CD of a Comprehensive Nuclear Weapons Convention, the foreign secretary added. New Delhi has also expressed support for negotiations of the Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty (FMCT).&nbsp;

"India has supported the immediate commencement of negotiations in the CD on a Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty (FMCT) on the basis of CD/1299 and the mandate contained therein, which remains the most suitable basis for negotiations. I reaffirm today, India's readiness to participate in FMCT negotiations in the CD," Shringla said.&nbsp;

India also underlined the issue of the arms race in outer space in the conference and urged members to start negotiations on the legally binding instrument, the foreign secretary said. "Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space (PAROS), is another long-standing item on the CD's agenda. India looks forward to an early start of negotiations of a legally binding instrument on PAROS to address pressing issues relating to space security.&nbsp;

A fissile material cut-off treaty (FMCT) is a proposed international pact that would stop the production of highly-enriched uranium (HEU) and plutonium. Several discussions on this subject have taken place at the UN Conference on Disarmament (CD) but the stalemate continues as the CD a body of 65 nations operates by consensus. &nbsp;

Shringla said that this conference has been plagued for too long by fear, suspicion, and mistrust. "As Mahatma Gandhi said, the only cure for fear is faith; for suspicion, sincerity; and for mistrust, trust," he said. &nbsp;

"This is just what the Conference needs today, to break its long deadlock and make concrete progress. India stands ready to play its role and work with fellow member states to achieve our collective objectives," he added. &nbsp;

India as a responsible nuclear weapon state has reiterated its position of no first use of nuclear weapons and said it is committed as per its nuclear doctrine to maintain credible minimum deterrence with the posture of no-first-use and non-use against non-nuclear-weapon states, Foreign Secretary Harsh Shiringla said on Monday.

India as a responsible nuclear weapon state has reiterated its position of no first use of nuclear weapons and said it is committed as per its nuclear doctrine to maintain credible minimum deterrence with the posture of no-first-use and non-use against non-nuclear-weapon states, Foreign Secretary Harsh Shiringla said on Monday. Addressing a high-level segment conference on Disarmament under the Presidency of Brazil, Shringla said, India is committed to the goal of universal, non-discriminatory and verifiable nuclear disarmament." Our call for the complete elimination of nuclear weapons through a step-by-step process, as also outlined in our Working Paper on Nuclear Disarmament submitted to the Conference of Disarmament in 2007 (CD) has enduring relevance," he said. India reiterates its call to undertake the steps outlined in the Working Paper, including negotiation in the CD of a Comprehensive Nuclear Weapons Convention, the foreign secretary added. New Delhi has also expressed support for negotiations of the Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty (FMCT). "India has supported the immediate commencement of negotiations in the CD on a Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty (FMCT) on the basis of CD/1299 and the mandate contained therein, which remains the most suitable basis for negotiations. I reaffirm today, India's readiness to participate in FMCT negotiations in the CD," Shringla said. India also underlined the issue of the arms race in outer space in the conference and urged members to start negotiations on the legally binding instrument, the foreign secretary said. "Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space (PAROS), is another long-standing item on the CD's agenda. India looks forward to an early start of negotiations of a legally binding instrument on PAROS to address pressing issues relating to space security. A fissile material cut-off treaty (FMCT) is a proposed international pact that would stop the production of highly-enriched uranium (HEU) and plutonium. Several discussions on this subject have taken place at the UN Conference on Disarmament (CD) but the stalemate continues as the CD a body of 65 nations operates by consensus. Shringla said that this conference has been plagued for too long by fear, suspicion, and mistrust. "As Mahatma Gandhi said, the only cure for fear is faith; for suspicion, sincerity; and for mistrust, trust," he said. "This is just what the Conference needs today, to break its long deadlock and make concrete progress. India stands ready to play its role and work with fellow member states to achieve our collective objectives," he added.

India says committed to no first use of nukes, supports negotiations on FMCT

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed on Wednesday that Iran had carried out its plan to produce Uranium metal. Iran has done this in spite of the warning by western powers that it would be a breach of 2015 nuclear deal. Uranium metal can be used to make the core of an atom bomb.

US under former President Barack Obama had brought Iran and other world powers on the negotiating table to strike the nuclear deal in 2015. But Donald Trump withdrew US from the accord and as a result, Iran started breaching the provisions of the deal. This has accelerated these breaches in recent months.&nbsp;

Russia, one of the parties of the nuclear deal with Iran called for 'restraint' as news of Iran making Uranium metal broke.

"We understand the logic of their actions and the reasons prompting Iran. Despite this it is necessary to show restraint and a responsible approach," Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told state news agency RIA Novosti.

A law passed in response to the killing of its top nuclear scientist in November, which Tehran blames on its foe Israel, called for steps including opening a uranium metal plant. Iran told the International Atomic Energy Agency in December it planned to produce uranium metal fuel for a research reactor.

"Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi today informed IAEA Member States about recent developments regarding Iran's R&amp;D activities on uranium metal production as part of its stated aim to produce fuel for the Tehran Research Reactor," the IAEA said in a statement.

Wednesday's report along with a previous one said that Iran planned to carry out research on uranium metal using natural uranium before moving on to uranium metal enriched to 20%, the level it is enriching uranium to now, short of the 90% that is weapons grade.

"The Agency on 8 February verified 3.6 gram of uranium metal at Iran's Fuel Plate Fabrication Plant (FPFP) in Esfahan," the IAEA statement added.

France, Britain and Germany, all parties to the deal, last month said they were "deeply concerned" and that Iran's uranium metal production had no civilian credibility but potentially serious military implications.

The 2015 deal's central aim was to extend the time Iran would need to produce enough fissile material for a nuclear bomb to at least a year from roughly 2-3 months. Iran, however, denies ever pursuing nuclear weapons and says it only wants to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.

U.S. intelligence agencies and the IAEA believe Iran had a secret, coordinated nuclear weapons programme that it halted in 2003.

(With Reuters inputs)

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed on Wednesday that Iran had carried out its plan to produce Uranium metal. Iran has done this in spite of the warning by western powers that it would be a breach of 2015 nuclear deal.

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed on Wednesday that Iran had carried out its plan to produce Uranium metal. Iran has done this in spite of the warning by western powers that it would be a breach of 2015 nuclear deal. Uranium metal can be used to make the core of an atom bomb. US under former President Barack Obama had brought Iran and other world powers on the negotiating table to strike the nuclear deal in 2015. But Donald Trump withdrew US from the accord and as a result, Iran started breaching the provisions of the deal. This has accelerated these breaches in recent months. Russia, one of the parties of the nuclear deal with Iran called for 'restraint' as news of Iran making Uranium metal broke. "We understand the logic of their actions and the reasons prompting Iran. Despite this it is necessary to show restraint and a responsible approach," Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told state news agency RIA Novosti. A law passed in response to the killing of its top nuclear scientist in November, which Tehran blames on its foe Israel, called for steps including opening a uranium metal plant. Iran told the International Atomic Energy Agency in December it planned to produce uranium metal fuel for a research reactor. "Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi today informed IAEA Member States about recent developments regarding Iran's R&D activities on uranium metal production as part of its stated aim to produce fuel for the Tehran Research Reactor," the IAEA said in a statement. Wednesday's report along with a previous one said that Iran planned to carry out research on uranium metal using natural uranium before moving on to uranium metal enriched to 20%, the level it is enriching uranium to now, short of the 90% that is weapons grade. "The Agency on 8 February verified 3.6 gram of uranium metal at Iran's Fuel Plate Fabrication Plant (FPFP) in Esfahan," the IAEA statement added. France, Britain and Germany, all parties to the deal, last month said they were "deeply concerned" and that Iran's uranium metal production had no civilian credibility but potentially serious military implications. The 2015 deal's central aim was to extend the time Iran would need to produce enough fissile material for a nuclear bomb to at least a year from roughly 2-3 months. Iran, however, denies ever pursuing nuclear weapons and says it only wants to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. U.S. intelligence agencies and the IAEA believe Iran had a secret, coordinated nuclear weapons programme that it halted in 2003. (With Reuters inputs)

Iran produces Uranium metal, breaches nuclear deal even as Russia appeals for calm

Israel's Energy Minister has said that it would take it on just about six months to produce enough Nuclear fission material to enrich Uranium. Israel has said that it is extremely worry of Biden administration's intent to re-enter the 2015 Iranian Nuclear deal.

Israel criticizes Biden's bid to rejoin Iran Nuclear deal

A South Korean tank was seized by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranian forces say the ship held because it was polluting the Persian gulf with chemicals but only the naive would believe that justification. Iran was flexing its dominance in the area and in doing so, sending a clear signal to both South Korea and more importantly the US.

This development comes amid rising tension between Iran and the outgoing Trump administration.

On Monday, Iran resumed enriching uranium once again. This a significant breach of the 2015 nuclear accord and was done to retaliate against Washington. The US had withdrawn from the agreement in 2019 and reimposed sanctions against Tehran.

In another showcase of its military might, today Iran began a massive military drone exercise.&nbsp;This is the first large-scale drone-only drill that Iran is known to have conducted.

Have a look|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/year-after-soleimani-killing-iran-unleashes-kamikaze-drones-amid-tensions-with-us-354630">Year after Soleimani killing, Iran unleashes 'kamikaze' drones amid tensions with US</a>

Iran is also angry about the killing of its top nuclear scientist&nbsp;which Tehran blames on Israel, an ally of the US.

So how did South Korea, a small country in Asia get caught up in the middle of Iran-US tensions?

On Monday, a South Korean oil tanker was travelling from Saudi Arabia to the UAE when it was flanked by Iran's revolutionary guards.&nbsp;It was escorted by Iranian forces to the port city of Bandar abbas.

All this occurred in a narrow stretch of sea called the Strait of Hormuz. Just around 21 miles wide, this strip of sea between Oman and Iran is the most sensitive choke point for all global oil supply. All tankers carrying crude oil from ports on the Persian Gulf must pass through this strait.

In 2018, the daily oil flow in this area averaged 21 million barrels per day. This is the equivalent of about 21 per cent of global petroleum consumption.

This is not the first time that Iran has seized ships of other countries. It has a history of seizing ships, especially if they belong to countries which have disputes with Tehran, and South Korea is currently not in Iran's good books.

South Korea is withholding billions of dollars of Iranian oil export revenue. Seoul is following US sanctions against Iran. South Korea demanded the immediate release of its vessel and dispatched its own forces to the area.

This comes just days ahead of a planned visit by South Korea's deputy foreign minister to Tehran.

Analysts say seizing the oil tanker was Iran's bid to force South Korea to come to the table and discuss repatriation of the Iranian money. So far Iran remains defiant.

A government&nbsp;spokesperson today said it's the Korean government holding Iranian money hostage.&nbsp;"If there is any hostage-taking, it is Korea's government that is holding more than $7 billion, which belongs to us, hostage on baseless grounds," said&nbsp;Iranian government spokesman.

However, Iran's move might have backfired as a South Korean foreign official has said that the deputy foreign minister's visit was now up in the air and the country's focus was now to free the 20 crew members of the ship.

A South Korean tank was seized by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranian forces say the ship held because it was polluting the Persian gulf with chemicals but only the naive would believe that justification.

A South Korean tank was seized by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranian forces say the ship held because it was polluting the Persian gulf with chemicals but only the naive would believe that justification. Iran was flexing its dominance in the area and in doing so, sending a clear signal to both South Korea and more importantly the US. This development comes amid rising tension between Iran and the outgoing Trump administration. On Monday, Iran resumed enriching uranium once again. This a significant breach of the 2015 nuclear accord and was done to retaliate against Washington. The US had withdrawn from the agreement in 2019 and reimposed sanctions against Tehran. In another showcase of its military might, today Iran began a massive military drone exercise. This is the first large-scale drone-only drill that Iran is known to have conducted. Have a look| Year after Soleimani killing, Iran unleashes 'kamikaze' drones amid tensions with US Iran is also angry about the killing of its top nuclear scientist which Tehran blames on Israel, an ally of the US. So how did South Korea, a small country in Asia get caught up in the middle of Iran-US tensions? On Monday, a South Korean oil tanker was travelling from Saudi Arabia to the UAE when it was flanked by Iran's revolutionary guards. It was escorted by Iranian forces to the port city of Bandar abbas. All this occurred in a narrow stretch of sea called the Strait of Hormuz. Just around 21 miles wide, this strip of sea between Oman and Iran is the most sensitive choke point for all global oil supply. All tankers carrying crude oil from ports on the Persian Gulf must pass through this strait. In 2018, the daily oil flow in this area averaged 21 million barrels per day. This is the equivalent of about 21 per cent of global petroleum consumption. This is not the first time that Iran has seized ships of other countries. It has a history of seizing ships, especially if they belong to countries which have disputes with Tehran, and South Korea is currently not in Iran's good books. South Korea is withholding billions of dollars of Iranian oil export revenue. Seoul is following US sanctions against Iran. South Korea demanded the immediate release of its vessel and dispatched its own forces to the area. This comes just days ahead of a planned visit by South Korea's deputy foreign minister to Tehran. Analysts say seizing the oil tanker was Iran's bid to force South Korea to come to the table and discuss repatriation of the Iranian money. So far Iran remains defiant. A government spokesperson today said it's the Korean government holding Iranian money hostage. "If there is any hostage-taking, it is Korea's government that is holding more than $7 billion, which belongs to us, hostage on baseless grounds," said Iranian government spokesman. However, Iran's move might have backfired as a South Korean foreign official has said that the deputy foreign minister's visit was now up in the air and the country's focus was now to free the 20 crew members of the ship.

Enriching uranium, showcase of drones and seizing South Korean tank: Iran shows its military might

Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium is now more than 12 times the limit set down in a 2015 deal with world powers, the UN's nuclear agency reported on Wednesday.

An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report seen by AFP said that as of 2 November "Iran's total enriched uranium stockpile... was 2442.9 kg."

The limit in the 2015 deal was set at 300 kilograms (661 pounds) of enriched uranium in a particular compound form, which is the equivalent of 202.8 kg of uranium in non-compound form.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/we-hope-lesson-has-been-learnt-says-iran-on-nuclear-deal-with-usa-341410" hreflang="en">We hope 'lesson' has been learnt, says Iran on nuclear deal with USA</a> 
 
The UN's nuclear watchdog said Wednesday that Iran's explanations over the presence of nuclear material at an undeclared site in the country were "not credible". 
 
Despite Iranian authorities providing some information about the site, "the agency informed Iran that it continues to consider Iran's response to be not technically credible," the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in a report seen by AFP. 
&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/satellite-photos-show-activity-at-irans-natanz-nuclear-facility-338798/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"A full and prompt explanation from Iran regarding the presence of uranium particles of anthropogenic origin... at a location in Iran not declared to the Agency, is needed," the report said. 
 
While the IAEA has not identified the site in question, diplomatic sources have indicated to AFP that it is in the Turquzabad district of Tehran, previously identified by Israel as an alleged site of secret atomic activity. 
 
The new report did not provide any new information about two other locations where the IAEA took samples in September and where undeclared nuclear activity may have taken place in the early 2000s. 
 
The analysis of those samples is ongoing.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/us-to-impose-sanctions-on-iranians-for-violence-against-protesters-342040" hreflang="en">US to impose sanctions on Iranians for violence against protesters</a> 
 
The report did confirm that Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium is now more than 12 times the limit set down in a 2015 deal with world powers. 
 
It said that as of November 2, "Iran's total enriched uranium stockpile... was 2,442.9 kg." 
 
The limit in the 2015 deal was set at 300 kilogrammes (661 pounds) of enriched uranium in a particular compound form, which is the equivalent of 202.8 kilogrammes of non-compound enriched uranium.

Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium is now more than 12 times the limit set down in a 2015 deal with world powers, the UN's nuclear agency reported on Wednesday.

Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium is now more than 12 times the limit set down in a 2015 deal with world powers, the UN's nuclear agency reported on Wednesday. An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report seen by AFP said that as of 2 November "Iran's total enriched uranium stockpile... was 2442.9 kg." The limit in the 2015 deal was set at 300 kilograms (661 pounds) of enriched uranium in a particular compound form, which is the equivalent of 202.8 kg of uranium in non-compound form. Also read: We hope 'lesson' has been learnt, says Iran on nuclear deal with USA The UN's nuclear watchdog said Wednesday that Iran's explanations over the presence of nuclear material at an undeclared site in the country were "not credible". Despite Iranian authorities providing some information about the site, "the agency informed Iran that it continues to consider Iran's response to be not technically credible," the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in a report seen by AFP. "A full and prompt explanation from Iran regarding the presence of uranium particles of anthropogenic origin... at a location in Iran not declared to the Agency, is needed," the report said. While the IAEA has not identified the site in question, diplomatic sources have indicated to AFP that it is in the Turquzabad district of Tehran, previously identified by Israel as an alleged site of secret atomic activity. The new report did not provide any new information about two other locations where the IAEA took samples in September and where undeclared nuclear activity may have taken place in the early 2000s. The analysis of those samples is ongoing. Also read: US to impose sanctions on Iranians for violence against protesters The report did confirm that Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium is now more than 12 times the limit set down in a 2015 deal with world powers. It said that as of November 2, "Iran's total enriched uranium stockpile... was 2,442.9 kg." The limit in the 2015 deal was set at 300 kilogrammes (661 pounds) of enriched uranium in a particular compound form, which is the equivalent of 202.8 kilogrammes of non-compound enriched uranium.

Iran's enriched uranium stockpile 12 times over limit set in 2015 deal: UN nuclear agency

Iran's Foreign Ministry on Sunday rejected as a "trap" reports that the International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN's nuclear watchdog, found traces of uranium at an <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uae-calls-for-iran-talks-with-world-powers-region-261152">Iranian site</a> that Israel called a "secret atomic warehouse".

Two months after Reuters first reported that samples taken at the site had shown traces of uranium, the IAEA on Wednesday told member states at a closed-door briefing that it had found uranium traces at a site in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-finds-new-oil-field-with-53-billion-barrels-of-crude-hassan-rouhani-261158">Iran</a> it did not name, but diplomats at the meeting said it was clearly the same place.

"The Zionist regime and Israel are attempting to re-open ... this file," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said in remarks carried on state television.

"We have announced that this is a trap," Mousavi said.

"Hopefully the IAEA will maintain its vigilance."

The IAEA confirmed to member states that the traces from samples taken in February were of uranium that was processed but not enriched, and that the explanations provided by Iran so far did not hold water, diplomats said.

In 2018, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who vehemently opposed Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, called on the IAEA to visit the site immediately, saying it had housed 15 kg (33 lb) of unspecified radioactive material that had since been removed.

Iran's Foreign Ministry on Sunday rejected as a "trap" reports that the International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN's nuclear watchdog, found traces of uranium at an Iranian site that Israel called a "secret atomic warehouse".

Iran's Foreign Ministry on Sunday rejected as a "trap" reports that the International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN's nuclear watchdog, found traces of uranium at an Iranian site that Israel called a "secret atomic warehouse". Two months after Reuters first reported that samples taken at the site had shown traces of uranium, the IAEA on Wednesday told member states at a closed-door briefing that it had found uranium traces at a site in Iran it did not name, but diplomats at the meeting said it was clearly the same place. "The Zionist regime and Israel are attempting to re-open ... this file," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said in remarks carried on state television. "We have announced that this is a trap," Mousavi said. "Hopefully the IAEA will maintain its vigilance." The IAEA confirmed to member states that the traces from samples taken in February were of uranium that was processed but not enriched, and that the explanations provided by Iran so far did not hold water, diplomats said. In 2018, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who vehemently opposed Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, called on the IAEA to visit the site immediately, saying it had housed 15 kg (33 lb) of unspecified radioactive material that had since been removed.

Iran rejects reports of IAEA finding traces of uranium at unnamed site

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