Iran has secretly approved a new facility for producing enriched uranium, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) says.
Tehran should normally notify the agency of such a move, according to IAEA chief Rafael Grossi, who said on Wednesday that the plant has been producing up to 60% pure uranium since the end of 2022.
The IAEA head has warned in the past that by doing so Iran is approaching the 90% enrichment level needed to produce nuclear weapons.
He said on Wednesday that IAEA inspectors discovered the modification during an inspection of the Fordo plant, south of the capital, Tehran. The machines have been “significantly” modified since November, the agency said, but it did not say whether or how production capacity had been increased.
Grossi told the European Parliament last week that Iran has enough uranium for several nuclear weapons if its materials are further enriched.
However, Iran still has a long way to go in terms of technical and political challenges before it can build such weapons, Grossi said.
Tehran consistently asserts that its nuclear technology is for peaceful use only.
