Iran’s stockpile of low-enriched uranium has grown in the past three months, the United Nations nuclear watchdog reported on Wednesday. The stockpile is supposed to be slashed as a result of the agreement the regime reached this summer with the United States and other world powers.
According to the confidential report, recounted by Reuters, “Iran had also moved centrifuges, machines that enrich uranium, at its Natanz and Fordow sites, the report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said. Under the deal with major powers reached in July, Iran is supposed to reduce the number of centrifuges it has in operation.”
The nuclear deal with Iran, which went through in the face of overwhelming opposition in the U.S. Congress, was touted as the crowning foreign policy achievement of the Obama administration.
Though the stockpile has grown, a diplomat told Reuters that it was part of a normal fluctuation, and Iran still has time to shrink the stockpile under the deal.
Olli Heinonen, former deputy IAEA director general, told the Washington Examiner that even though they continue to enrich uranium, the Iranians should have no trouble meeting their obligation to reduce their stockpile in time.
“They have two choices: Export it or dilute it,” he said. “If it’s a good quality material and you sell it cheap, you will find a client.
He added, “Probably they are counting that the Russians will buy it.”
Reuters also reported that Iran has begun dismantling centrifuges in accordance with the deal.
Chuck Hoskinson contributed to this report.
