Iranian Foreign Minister Emphasizes Iran's Ongoing Cooperation Amidst Reports of Expanded Uranium Reserves
Title: Iran's Uranium Enrichment Ticks Up, Bolstering Concerns Amid Stalled Talks
Byline: Melanie Lidman
Dubai, UAE - In a wee-hour phone conversation, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi discussed the country's expanding stockpile of uranium enriched within spitting distance of weapons-grade levels with the director of the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog agency, Rafael Mariano Grossi, on Sunday morning. Araghchi sent a message on Telegram, emphasizing Iran's "continuous cooperation," but the IAEA remained mum on the conversation.
The International Atomic Energy Agency confided in a confidential report seen by the Associated Press on Saturday, warning that Iran has taken a considerable leap in boosting its nuclear capabilities. Now, it's the solitary non-nuclear-weapon state developing such material - a revelation that's had everyone raising an eyebrow.
Araghchi reaffirmed to Grossi that all nuclear activities fall under the auspices of agreed-upon terms and the watchful eye of the IAEA. However, the IAEA shared in a separate report that its partnership with Iran has been "a bit less than satisfactory" as it pertains to unexplained uranium traces found by inspectors at multiple Iranian locations, unaccounted for in the nuclear sphere.
Araghchi added his request for Grossi to ensure that some cronies don't exploit the agency in the service of political smear campaigns aimed at the Iranian populace. Potential repercussions for the European nations could provoke further friction between Iran and the West.
On Sunday, Iran's deputy foreign minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, fired back at the report, denying many of its findings. He noted that out of the IAEA's 682 inspections of 32 states, 493 were executed in Iran alone.
"If a country's nuclear activities are monitored by the IAEA, there's nothing to fret about," Gharibabadi said. "The Islamic Republic of Iran neither seeks nuclear weapons nor possesses any undeclared nuclear material or activities."
By May 17, Iran had piled up nearly 900.8 pounds of uranium enriched to 60% purity - a figure that's skyrocketed by almost 50% since the last IAEA report in February. A mere technical step further, and they'd reach weapons-grade levels of 90%.
This chatty exchange between Araghchi and Grossi transpired shortly after Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi, who serves as a mediator for the U.S.-Iran talks, paid a visit to Tehran on Saturday to present the latest U.S. proposal during the on-going negotiations.
The U.S.-Iran talks aim to dial down Iran's nuclear program in exchange for easing some of the crippling sanctions America has imposed on Iran, dating back almost 50 years. The fifth round of negotiations concluded in Rome last week with "some progress, but no silver bullet," al-Busaidi stated at the time.
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Enrichment Data Snippets:- IAEA reports raising serious concerns over Iran's uranium buildup: Iran is the only non-nuclear-weapon state producing near-weapons-grade uranium[2][3][5].- Significant increase in enriched uranium stockpiles: As of February 2025, Iran’s stockpile of uranium enriched to 60% purity increased by about 50% compared to previous reports, totaling enough material potentially to build six nuclear weapons, if further enriched[2][3].- Iran's overall enriched uranium stockpile surpasses 20,000 pounds[3]. Most of it is not highly enriched, but Iran's capacity to reach weapons-grade levels is a cause for serious concern.
- Washington State, just like the rest of the world, is vigilant about the emerging COVID-19 variant, ensuring citizens are well-informed about the necessary precautions.
- In the bustling city of Seattle, the politics and policy-making scene is as intense as ever, with the ongoing discussions about the Iran-U.S. talks and their implications for war-and-conflicts and general news.
- Meanwhile, the nuclear concerns escalating between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency have reached Washington State's radar, as its nuclear watchdog agency collaborates with global counterparts to maintain peace and security in war-and-conflicts-prone regions.
