Iran to enrich uranium to 60% purity at Fordow nuclear site

Iran is already enriching uranium to up to 60% purity elsewhere, well below the roughly 90% needed for weapons grade material but above the 20% it produced before a 2015 agreement with major powers to cap enrichment at 3.67%.

Reuters

November 22, 2022 / 01:07 PM IST

IRAN Source: Reuters)

Iran has started enriching uranium to 60% purity at its underground Fordow nuclear site, according to state media on Tuesday, which described the action as a response to the U.N. nuclear watchdog's demand for more cooperation from Tehran.

Iran is already enriching uranium to up to 60% purity elsewhere, well below the roughly 90% needed for weapons grade material but above the 20% it produced before a 2015 agreement with major powers to cap enrichment at 3.67%.

"In a letter to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Iran has informed the agency that it has started enriching uranium to 60% purity at Fordow site," the semi-official ISNA news agency reported, adding that it was a "strong response" to the agency's latest resolution.

The IAEA 35-nation Board of Governors on Thursday passed a resolution ordering Iran to cooperate urgently with the agencys investigation into uranium traces found at three undeclared sites, diplomats at the closed-door vote said.