Mohammad Eslami: More than 120kg of uranium enriched to 20%
Iran has amassed more than 120kg of 20% enriched uranium, well above the level agreed to in the 2015 deal with world powers, the head of Iran’s atomic energy agency told.
“We have passed 120 kilograms,” said Mohammad Eslami, head of Iran’s atomic energy organisation. “We have more than that figure. Our people know well that [western powers] were meant to give us the enriched fuel at 20% to use in the Tehran reactor, but they haven’t done so.
“If our colleagues do not do it, we would naturally have problems with the lack of fuel for the Tehran reactor.”
In September the International Atomic Energy Agency reported that Iran had boosted its stocks of uranium that had been enriched above the percentage allowed in the 2015 deal with world powers.
It estimated that Iran had 84.3kg of uranium enriched to 20%, up from 62.8kg when the IAEA last reported in May.
On Friday, Iran’s foreign minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said he was optimistic that talks on reviving the 2015 deal would make progress, provided Washington fully resumed its commitments.
Speaking during a visit to Syria, Amir-Abdollahian reiterated that Iran would “soon” return to the nuclear talks with world powers, which include indirect negotiations with the US, Iranian state media reported.
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