IAEA's Grossi: Iran's stockpile of 60% enriched Uranium nears 200 Kilograms

Shafaq News/ The Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, revealed on Wednesday that Iran’s stockpile of uranium enriched to 60% purity has reached nearly 200 kilograms.

Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Grossi noted that Iran’s recent acceleration in uranium enrichment to this level has resulted in a sevenfold increase in its production rate of such uranium.

This enrichment level is close to the 90% purity required for nuclear weapons, and according to IAEA standards, this quantity is near what would be needed, if further enriched, to produce five nuclear weapons.

In related remarks, UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged Iran to take steps to improve relations with regional countries and the United States by clarifying its intentions to avoid nuclear weapons development.

Speaking at the World Economic Forum, Guterres emphasized, "The most important issue is Iran and the relations between Iran, Israel, and the United States."

He expressed hope that Iranians would make it clear that they are committed to renouncing nuclear weapons, while also engaging constructively with other nations in the region.

Iranian Vice President for Strategic Affairs Mohammad Javad Zarif stated on Wednesday that Iran hopes US President Donald Trump will choose a rational approach toward the Islamic Republic, reiterating that "Iran has never sought to acquire nuclear weapons."

Zarif, speaking at the World Economic Forum, stressed that "Iran does not pose a security threat to the world."

On Monday, a spokesperson for Iran's Foreign Ministry had said that Iran hopes the incoming US administration will adopt a "realistic" approach toward Tehran.

Ismail Bakai told reporters, "We hope that the policies of the new US government will be based on reality and respect for the interests of the countries in the region, including the Iranian nation."

In May 2018, during his first term, US President Donald Trump made one of his most significant decisions by withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and the P5+1 nations.

He had stated at the time that the deal “allowed Tehran to continue enriching uranium, bringing it closer to the threshold for developing nuclear weapons”.