A confidential report from the UN nuclear watchdog said on Saturday that Iran further increased its uranium reserves, rich in weapons-grade levels.
The report was conducted during a sensitive period, as Tehran and Washington have been talking about a possible nuclear deal that U.S. President Donald Trump has tried to reach.
The Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (see by the Associated Press) said that as of May 17, Iran had accumulated 900.8 pounds of uranium, enriching 60%.
This has increased by 294.9 pounds, or almost 50% since the last IAEA report in February. 60% enriched material away from 90% weapon-grade level for short-lived, technology. A February report put the inventory level at 605.8 pounds.
Tehran did not immediately comment on the new IAEA report.
The IAEA report has issued a harsh warning that Iran is now "the only non-nuclear-weapon state to produce such materials" - the agency said of "serious concern".
According to the Watchdog, in theory, about 60% of the enrichment of uranium is enough to produce an atomic bomb, if further enriched to 90.2%.
The International Atomic Energy Agency Report (IAEA) report also estimates that as of May 17, Iran's overall reserves of uranium enrichment (including enrichment to lower levels) were 20,387.4. This has increased by 2,101.4 pounds since the February report.
Iran maintains its nuclear program for only a peaceful purpose, but IAEA head Rafael Mariano Grossi warned that Tehran has enough uranium rich in near-weapon levels to create "several" nuclear bombs if it chooses to do so.
Iranian officials are increasingly suggesting Tehran can hunt down the atomic bomb.
U.S. intelligence agencies assess that Iran has not launched a weapon program, but “the ongoing activities could better position its production of nuclear devices (if it chooses to do so).
Israel said Saturday’s report was a clear warning that “Iran is fully determined to complete its nuclear weapons program,” according to a statement from Benjamin Netanyahu’s office.
It said the IAEA report “strongly strengthens what Israel has been saying for years – the purpose of Iran’s nuclear program is not peace.”
It also added that Iran's abundance "has no reason for civilians" and appealed to the international community to "take immediate action to stop Iran."
Grossi said on Saturday that he “reaffirmed the urgent appeal to Iran to cooperate fully and effectively”, with the International Atomic Energy Agency conducting a long-term investigation of traces of uranium found in several sites in Iran over the years.
The IAEA also circulated a second 22-page confidential report to member states on Saturday, which was also seen by the AP, requested after a resolution passed by the 35-member IAEA Committee last November.
In this so-called "comprehensive report", IAEA said that Iran's cooperation with the agency was "not satisfactory enough", a trace of uranium found by IAEA inspectors at several sites in Iran, namely Tehran failed to declare a nuclear site.
Western officials suspect traces of uranium found by the IAEA can provide evidence that Iran did not have a secret military nuclear program until 2003.
One of the sites became publicly known in 2018 after Netanyahu revealed it at the United Nations and called it a secret nuclear warehouse hidden in a carpet cleaning plant.
Iran denied this, but in 2019, IAEA inspectors found artificial uranium particles there.
After initially blocking the IAEA, inspectors were able to collect samples from two other locations in 2020, where they also detected the presence of artificial uranium particles.
These three locations are called Turquzabad, Varamin and Marivan.
The fourth unannounced location, known as Lavisan-Shian, is also part of the IAEA investigation, but IAEA inspectors have never visited the site because it was razed and demolished by Iran after 2003.
The IAEA said in its comprehensive report on Saturday that the “lack of answers and clarifications provided by Iran” raised questions from supervisors about Lavisan-Shian, Varamin and Marivan. “It led to the agency concluding that the three locations, along with other possible relevant locations, were part of Iran’s undefined structural nuclear program until the undefined structural nuclear program in the early 2000s, and some activities were carried out in the early 2000s and some of the core of the activities were used.
Saturday's comprehensive report could be the basis for possible further measures by European countries, leading to a gradual escalation of tensions between Iran and the West.
European countries can take action to trigger counterattacks against Iran, which was lifted under the original nuclear agreement before October 2015, which officially expires.
On Thursday, senior Iranian officials dismissed speculation about an imminent nuclear deal with the United States, stressing that any agreement must completely lift sanctions and allow the country's nuclear program to continue.
The comments were posted on Trump that he had told Netanyahu to postpone a strike in Iran to give the U.S. government more time to engage in new deals with Tehran.
Trump said Friday that he still believes the agreement can be completed in the "next future."
"They don't want to be bombed. They'd rather have a deal," Trump said of Iran, adding: "It's going to be a great thing, we can reach a deal without bombs falling across the Middle East."