Investigation
Iran’s Uranium Enrichment Hits a New High, Testing Diplomacy
- IAEA probes accumulation of material just shy of bomb-grade
- US says it’s aware of reports and in touch with UN and allies
The reactor building at the Bushehr nuclear power plant in southern Iran.
Photographer: Majid Asgaripour/AFP/Getty Images
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International atomic monitors in Iran have detected uranium enriched to levels just below nuclear weapons-grade, risking an escalation over Tehran’s expanding program.
The International Atomic Energy Agency is trying to clarify how Iran accumulated uranium enriched to 84% purity — the highest level found by inspectors in the country to date, and a concentration just 6% below what’s needed for a weapon.