In a high-stakes diplomatic standoff, Iran has defended its nuclear program as peaceful. In contrast, the UN atomic watchdog has raised “serious concerns” about Tehran’s rapidly growing uranium stockpile, setting the stage for potential escalation in international tensions.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) revealed in a confidential report that Iran now possesses over 400kg of uranium enriched to 60% purity—a nearly 50% increase in just three months. This stockpile, according to the agency, is sufficient for approximately ten nuclear weapons if further refined, making Iran the only non-nuclear-armed state producing uranium at this level.
“The significantly increased production and accumulation of highly enriched uranium by Iran is of serious concern,” IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi stated in the report, which also concluded that Tehran conducted undeclared nuclear activities at three previously unknown sites: Lavisan-Shian, Varamin, and Turquzabad.
In response, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs, Kazem Gharibabadi, issued a detailed statement rejecting the allegations and warning that Iran would be “compelled to adopt and implement appropriate decisions” should its patience be “abused by certain countries.”
“The Islamic Republic of Iran is neither pursuing nuclear weapons nor does it possess any undeclared nuclear materials or activities,” Gharibabadi asserted, characterizing the IAEA’s findings as based on “fabricated data provided by the Zionist regime.”
The diplomatic clash comes amid ongoing nuclear negotiations between Tehran and Washington. US officials estimate that Iran could potentially produce weapons-grade material in less than two weeks and build a bomb within months if it chose to pursue a weapon. This assessment has heightened international alarm.
Gharibabadi defended Iran’s 60% uranium enrichment as legal under safeguards, arguing that “there exists no limitation on the level of enrichment” as long as activities remain under IAEA monitoring. He further claimed that two of the four locations in question—Lavizan-Shian and Marivan—are no longer considered outstanding issues. At the same time, Iran has provided “necessary explanations and supporting documents” for the other two sites.
The IAEA report, however, stated that it “cannot verify” Iran’s claims about the peaceful nature of its program, citing Tehran’s refusal to grant access to senior inspectors and failure to answer longstanding questions about its nuclear history.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office responded to the IAEA findings by accusing Iran of being “totally determined” to acquire nuclear weapons, stating that “such a level of enrichment exists only in countries actively pursuing nuclear weapons and has no civilian justification whatsoever.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi countered that Tehran considers nuclear weapons “unacceptable.” At the same time, Gharibabadi pointed to Iran’s extensive cooperation with the IAEA on “routine safeguards matters,” noting that the agency’s own 2024 Safeguards Implementation Report concluded that “declared nuclear material in Iran remained in peaceful activities.”
The IAEA Board is expected to meet in the coming days to discuss the next steps amid mounting pressure on Iran to cooperate with inspections fully. Diplomats suggest the matter could be referred to the UN Security Council, potentially escalating the international standoff over Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
Photo: Nournews