ran has significantly ramped up its production of highly enriched uranium, according to a confidential report by the UN’s nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The agency expressed “serious concern” over the development, which could move Iran closer to nuclear weapons capability.
The report, seen by the BBC, states that Iran now holds more than 400kg of uranium enriched to 60% purity—well beyond the level required for civilian nuclear use and approaching weapons-grade. This marks a nearly 50% increase in just three months.
If further enriched, the current stockpile could be enough to produce about 10 nuclear weapons, making Iran the only non-nuclear-armed state enriching uranium to such levels. The IAEA noted that over the past three months, Iran has produced enriched uranium at a rate equivalent to roughly one nuclear weapon per month.
While Tehran continues to insist that its nuclear programme is peaceful, the IAEA said it is unable to verify this, citing Iran’s refusal to allow full access to inspectors and its failure to address longstanding questions about past nuclear activity.
“The significantly increased production and accumulation of highly enriched uranium by Iran… is of serious concern,” said IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi.
The report may prompt the US, UK, France, and Germany to push the IAEA’s board of governors to formally declare that Iran is in violation of its non-proliferation obligations.
Following the report’s release, Israel accused Iran of being “totally determined” to acquire nuclear weapons. A statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office declared that such enrichment levels are only found in nations actively pursuing nuclear arms and have “no civilian justification.”
In response, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who is also Tehran’s lead negotiator in nuclear talks with Washington, reiterated that Iran views nuclear weapons as unacceptable. “If the issue is nuclear weapons, yes, we too consider this type of weapon unacceptable,” he said in a televised address.
The IAEA’s findings come as negotiations between Iran and the United States continue over a potential new nuclear agreement. Despite talks since April, the two sides remain divided on key issues—especially whether Iran will be allowed to continue any level of uranium enrichment under a future deal.
The latest IAEA report also revealed concerning information about undeclared nuclear activities conducted by Iran in the early 2000s at three previously unknown sites: Lavisan-Shian, Varamin, and Turquzabad.
The agency’s inability to verify the peaceful nature of Iran’s programme, coupled with Tehran’s ongoing refusal to cooperate with full inspections, has raised alarm among Western diplomats. Recent comments by two senior advisors to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, suggesting Iran might reconsider its stance against nuclear weapons if pressure increases, have further fueled fears that Iran is approaching nuclear threshold state status.
The IAEA board is expected to convene in the coming days to discuss next steps. Diplomatic sources told Reuters that while Iran may eventually be referred to the UN Security Council, such action would likely follow a subsequent IAEA board meeting.
