BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 5. Iran has significantly reduced the pace of creating highly enriched uranium reserves, said Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Mariano Grossi, Trend reports.
He made this statement during an interview with The New York Times.
Grossi suggests that the substantial rise in highly enriched uranium production may have diminished. Nevertheless, the IAEA director general notes that Iran persists in accumulating a stockpile of uranium enriched to 60 percent, which, if further enriched, could be utilized for the production of nuclear weapons.
"There is a slight slowdown being observed. They are still stockpiling, but at a slower pace," the IAEA director general said.
As of February 23, 2020, Iran has suspended additional steps and the additional protocol outlined in the nuclear deal, reducing IAEA control mechanisms by 20–30 percent. Iran seeks to resume talks on its nuclear issue and revive the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) to end sanctions, access frozen funds, and resume crude oil exports. Despite Iran's claim of a peaceful nuclear program, the IAEA reports a 27 percent increase in highly enriched uranium over three months, exceeding JCPOA limits by 15 times.