Iran has a larger number of complex uranium enrichment centrifuges it uses and intends to load more devices, expanding its enrichment capabilities, according to a confidential International Atomic Energy Agency report published via Reuters on Monday.
The newly installed devices, at the underground Natanz enrichment plant, are banned under the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers.
Efforts to save the tattered deal, which eased sanctions in exchange for drastically curtailing Iran’s nuclear activities, have been ongoing since U. S. President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from it in 2018.
The United States has reimposed harsh sanctions, prompting Tehran to renege on its nuclear commitments, drastically expanding its stockpile of enriched uranium and turning off surveillance cameras operated through the IAEA, the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog.
The new report is an update following a September review of a scale through IAEA inspectors at the site last August. Iran has since completed the installation of seven centrifuge cascades, the bulletin said.
The six IR-2m devices and one IR-4 device are still enriching uranium, the IAEA found.
On the cargo, Iran told the IAEA that it intends to load 3 more cascades of IR-2m centrifuges at Natanz. There are already 12 such cascades at the plant, consisting of several combined centrifuges enriching uranium. Work has already begun on two of the waterfalls.
In another development, the report states that while all Natanz centrifuges produce 5% enriched uranium hexafluoride (UF6) fuel, they are now fed with grass-based UF6. In September, the IAEA said the devices were loaded with UF6 enriched up to 2%. The recent report does not explain why the substitution was made, Reuters said.
IAEA leader Rafael Grossi said last week he had met with the head of Iran’s atomic energy agency, amid an impasse to revive the nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
After months of friction, the two met face to face in Vienna.
“Dialogue with Iran has resumed to clarify notable safeguards issues,” Grossi tweeted on Sept. 26.
He met with Mohammad Eslami, Iran’s nuclear leader, on the sidelines of the IAEA’s annual conference, and posted a photo of the two men shaking hands.
— Rafael MarianoGrossi (@rafaelmgrossi) September 26, 2022
Ahead of the meeting, Grossi told Iran that his company would avoid investigating the undeclared sites, indicating that the factor would continue to block efforts between world powers and Iran to re-enter the nuclear deal.
Eslami also noted that Iran is not willing to budge on the issue and said the investigation was based on “false and baseless information. “
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