US Tells Iran: ‘Dilute Enriched Uranian’ After Nuclear Weapons Warnings

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News

VIENNA (Worthy News) – The United States demanded Wednesday that Iran is diluting all of its enriched uranium to up to “60 percent purity” after warnings from United Nations experts that the Islamic Republic could enrich towards having nuclear weapons.

The U.N.’s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) acknowledged in a confidential report to member states that Iran’s stock of uranium enriched to up to 60 percent fell slightly in the past quarter. Tehran, it added, had diluted, or “downblended,” more of its most highly enriched material than it had produced.

However, the IAEA warned that Iran still has enough of that material, if enriched further, to fuel two powerful nuclear weapons and enough for more bombs at lower enrichment levels.

The report prompted the U.S. to say that “Iran should downblend all, not just some, of its 60 percent stockpile, and stop all production of uranium enriched to 60 percent entirely,” the United States stressed.

Even the demanded of 60 percent is close to the 90 percent weapons-grade level, experts say.

The U.S. statement on Iran was given to a quarterly meeting of the 35-nation IAEA Board of Governors.

It was not immediately clear why Iran downblended the material, though Tehran has come under mounting international pressure to halt or at least reduce its nuclear program.

NUCLEAR WEAPONS DENIAL

Tehran denies seeking nuclear weapons and says it has the right to enrich to high levels for civil, peaceful purposes.

However, Western powers say there is no credible civil justification for enriching to such high levels. “We continue to have serious concerns related to the stockpile of highly enriched uranium that Iran continues to maintain,” the U.S. stressed.

“No other country today is producing uranium enriched to 60 percent for the purpose Iran claims, and Iran’s actions are counter to the behavior of all other non-nuclear weapons states party to the NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty),” Washington added.

The United States also condemned the barring of some of the IAEA’s most experienced and expert inspectors last year, among other moves that the IAEA has also criticized.

There is concern that Iran’s nuclear program could add to tensions in the Middle East, where Israel has said it won’t allow Iran to develop nuclear weapons.

Iran also supports several groups seeking the destruction of the Jewish nation.

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