Iran Nuclear Advances Prompt ‘Grave Concern’ Among Diplomats

(Bloomberg) -- The Iranian nuclear crisis escalated on Thursday, with inspectors asking for support and diplomats expressing “grave concern” over the Islamic Republic’s decision to expand uranium production..The decades-old confrontation over Iran’s nuclear program, which has periodically threatened to tip into armed conflict, has intensified since the U.S. broke a deal to rein in Tehran’s atomic work by reimposing sanctions last year. Tehran has responded by busting its nuclear limits under the accord known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action..Unexplained attacks on shipping in the Gulf have rathceted up tensions, with a U.S. carrier strike group entering the Persian Gulf this week..The European Union expressed “overall grave concern over the different steps taken by Iran reducing its nuclear-related commitments.” These activities, the bloc said in a statement, “are clearly inconsistent with the JCPOA and have potentially severe proliferation implications.”.Inspectors reported earlier this month that Iran’s stockpile of low-enriched uranium swelled almost two-thirds during the last quarter to more than 372 kilograms (820 pounds). It’s now enriching about 100 kilograms of the metal a month compared to just 4 kilograms back when it was observing the 2015 agreement’s conditions in June, and purifying the metal to 4.5%.About 630 kilograms of low-enriched uranium must be purified to 90% to yield the 15 to 22 kilograms of weapons-grade uranium needed by an expert bomb-maker to craft a weapon..“I call upon Iran to provide full and timely cooperation with the agency,” the acting director of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Cornel Feruta, said at a briefing. He’s sending his top inspector to Tehran next week to discuss an investigation into uranium particles discovered earlier this year at a warehouse in Tehran. Clarifying the source of the manmade uranium particles, first identified by Israel, needs “a boost from the board,”he said, referring to the IAEA’s board of governors, which is meeting now..U.S. envoy Jackie Wolcott suggested the discovery of particles could indicate that Iran is clandestinely producing uranium at an undeclared site..“The possibility of undeclared nuclear material and activities goes to the heart of the IAEA’s essential verification role,” she said. “Nuclear escalation will only deepen the pressure Iran is facing and the crisis Iran continues to make for itself.”.To contact the reporter on this story: Jonathan Tirone in Vienna at jtirone@bloomberg.net.To contact the editors responsible for this story: Reed Landberg at landberg@bloomberg.net, Amy Teibel, Mark Williams.©2019 Bloomberg L.P.

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Iran Nuclear Advances Prompt ‘Grave Concern’ Among Diplomats

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