VIENNA (Reuters) – Iran has stepped up its uranium enrichment activities by using advanced equipment at its Fordow underground facility that can move more easily from one level of enrichment to another, an official showed on Saturday. report by the International Atomic Energy Agency, consulted by Reuters.
The IAEA found on Saturday that Iran had begun supplying up to 5% enriched uranium hexafluoride to the “cascade” of 166 IR-6 centrifuges with Fordow-modified sub-sensors, the report said.
According to the confidential report, Iran informed the agency on July 7 and the IAEA was able to verify this fact on July 9.
Western diplomats have repeatedly expressed concern over the use of this technology, which makes passing higher levels of purity much easier and faster.
Iran has informed the IAEA of its intention to use this equipment to enrich its uranium up to 20%, according to the report. Thran also produces 60% enriched uranium at its Natanz site.
Weapons-grade uranium is about 90% enriched.
(Report Francois Murphy, French version Laetitia Volga and Gilles Guillaume)