Iran coming close to realizing nuclear bomb dream

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed in a report that Iran has continued to increase its enriched uranium stockpile in recent months.

It noted that this stockpile increased on February 12 to 3,760.8 compared to 3,673. 7 kg in October 2022.

The report indicates that Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium has increased by an estimated 87.1 kg since the last report in October 2022, and that the stock exceeds 18 times the permitted ceiling.

Violations

The report of the IAEA indicated the detection of particles enriched to a little less than 90% inside laboratories in Iran.

"Iran has informed the IAEA that unintentional fluctuations in enrichment levels may have occurred during the transition period at the time of the start of the enrichment process to a purity of 60% in November 2022 or during the replacement of the feed cylinder," the agency said in the report.

It added that talks are underway with Iran to clarify the matter.

The agency noted that Tehran is still violating the restrictions imposed on its nuclear activities under the 2015 nuclear agreement.

The report of the IAEA came a few days before a meeting of its board of governors.

Procrastination

Iranian affairs specialist, Masoud Ibrahim, said all indications confirm the sincerity of IAEA officials regarding the Iranian nuclear programme, despite Iran's denial of uranium enrichment by 84%.

Iran, he added, benefited a lot from its procrastination the unilateral withdrawal of the US from the 2015 agreement.

"These developments gave Tehran the green light to continue its nuclear march," Ibrahim told The Reference.

He added that the reports of international inspectors after that confirmed that they discovered traces of 60% enriched uranium at sites that Iran did not declare to IAEA inspectors.

This, he said, confirms that Iran has sites for secret nuclear activities.

Ibrahim noted that the Vienna and Doha negotiations came to confirm that Iran had succeeded in buying time to achieve its goals.

"The Iranian goal was clear to everyone from the very beginning, namely to possess military nuclear technology," Ibrahim said.

Serious repercussions

Ibrahim warned against the serious repercussions of Iran's possession of this percentage of enriched uranium.

He said this percentage of enriched uranium would enable Iran to expand its regional influence at the expense of Arab countries.

"Arab countries will not stand idly by," Ibrahim said.

He said these countries would make efforts to acquire nuclear technology.

"This means that the Middle East will have a nuclear arms race, which will undoubtedly cast a shadow on economic conditions as well as energy and oil," Ibrahim said.