VIENNA: The United States called on Iran on Wednesday to dilute all of the uranium it has enriched to up to 60 percent purity, close to the weapons-grade level of roughly 90 percent, in a statement denouncing many of Tehran’s recent nuclear moves.
The International Atomic Energy Agency said in a confidential report to member states last week that Iran’s stock of uranium enriched to up to 60 percent had fallen slightly in the past quarter as it had diluted, or “downblended,” more of its most highly enriched material than it had produced.
Iran still has enough of that material, if enriched further, to fuel two nuclear weapons by a theoretical IAEA definition, and enough for more bombs at lower enrichment levels, the report seen by Reuters showed.
“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 said in a statement on Iran to a quarterly meeting of the 35-nation IAEA Board of Governors.
It is not clear why Iran downblended the material. It denies seeking nuclear weapons and says it has the right to enrich to high levels for civil purposes. 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 US statement said.
“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),” it added.
The United States also condemned various moves by Iran, many of which the IAEA has also criticized, such as barring some of the IAEA’s most experienced and expert inspectors last year.
US urges Iran to dilute all its near-weapons-grade uranium
https://arab.news/pea7v
US urges Iran to dilute all its near-weapons-grade uranium
- “Iran should downblend all, not just some, of its 60 percent stockpile, and stop all production of uranium enriched to 60 percent entirely,” the US said
- It is not clear why Iran downblended the material
North Korean leader Kim watches cruise missile tests with his daughter
- KCNA said the missiles hit target islands off North Korea’s west coast
SEOUL, South Korea: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his teenage daughter observed tests of strategic cruise missiles fired from a warship, state media reported Wednesday, as North Korea threatened responses to US-South Korean military drills.
Images sent by the Korean Central News Agency showed the two in a conference room looking at a screen showing weapons being fired from the Choe Hyon, a year-old naval destroyer.
Kim Jong Un watched the missiles launches via video on Tuesday and underscored the need to maintain “a powerful and reliable nuclear war deterrent,” KCNA reported in a dispatch that did not mention his daughter.
The girl, reportedly named Kim Ju Ae and about 13, has accompanied her father at numerous prominent events including military parades and weapons launches since late 2022. South Korea’s spy agency assessed last month Kim Jong Un was close to designating her as his heir.
KCNA said the missiles hit target islands off North Korea’s west coast. It quoted Kim Jong Un as saying the launches were meant to demonstrate the navy’s strategic offensive posture and get troops familiarized with weapons firings.
Kim Jong Un observed similar cruise missile launches from the Choe Hyon in person last week, but his daughter was not seen at that appearance.
Tuesday’s missile firings came after the start of the springtime US-South Korean military drills that North Korea views as an invasion rehearsal.
On Tuesday, Kim Jong Un’s sister and senior official, Kim Yo Jong, warned the drills reveal again the US and South Korea’s “inveterate repugnancy toward” North Korea. She said North Korea will “convince the enemies of our war deterrence.”
The 11-day Freedom Shield drill that began Monday is largely a computer-simulated command post exercise and will be accompanied by a field training program. North Korea often reacts to the two sets of training with its own weapons tests.
