By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
TEHRAN/VIENNA (Worthy News) – The United Nations’ nuclear watchdog warned Wednesday that Iran had accelerated its production of near-weapons-grade uranium amid mounting tensions between Tehran and Washington.
The Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency said in its latest report that as of February 8, Iran has 274.8 kilograms (605.8 pounds) of uranium enriched up to 60 percent.
That’s an increase of 92.5 kilograms (203.9 pounds) since the IAEA’s last report in November.
That material is a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90 percent, according to experts.
The revelations came after reports that Iran has stepped up air defenses around its nuclear sites amid concerns of an imminent attack by Israel and the United States.
U.S. President Donald J. Trump’s administration says Iran must be prevented from acquiring nuclear weapons, a view shared by Israel.
Yet the IAEA suggested that Iran acceleratedits nuclear program since Trump’s inauguration as the 47th president of the United States.
The IAEA has warned that time is running out for diplomacy to impose new restrictions on Iran’s activities before the country has a nuclear weapon.
Tehran claims that its nuclear program is for “peaceful” purposes, but Israel and most of its allies, including the United States, have their doubts.
The IAEA seemed to share these concerns.
“The significantly increased production and accumulation of highly enriched uranium by Iran, the only non-nuclear weapon state to produce such nuclear material, is of serious concern,” the IAEA said.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
Latest News from Worthy News
President Donald Trump abruptly canceled planned U.S. strikes against Iran on Thursday, saying a multinational agreement to end the conflict had been approved by top Iranian leadership and was awaiting final documents and a formal signing.
Federal authorities said Thursday they have accounted for 146,000 unaccompanied migrant children who entered the United States during former President Joe Biden’s administration, while roughly 300,000 minors remain unaccounted for, amid allegations that many vulnerable children were placed with fraudulent sponsors and exposed to abuse, labor exploitation, and sex trafficking.
Congress left Washington without renewing Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, allowing a key foreign surveillance authority used to track foreign terrorists and national security threats to expire Friday.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on June 11 temporarily allowed President Donald Trump’s 10 percent global tariffs to remain in effect, extending a pause on a lower court ruling that had struck down the duties as unlawful.
Dutch police detained a young man l man after four people, including three children, were killed when a car struck a group of cyclists during a school outing near the Belgian border on Thursday, officials said.
The leaders of Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia are expected to meet this month amid growing debate within the European Union over how future member states should be admitted and monitored.
China has condemned the European Union’s ban on public funding for Chinese-made solar inverters, a move that analysts say could affect more than a fifth of new solar capacity and complicate efforts to meet the bloc’s self-imposed “climate targets.”