Iran Is Assembling Gear Able to Produce Key Nuclear-Weapons Material
Source: WSJ
BRUSSELSIran has taken a new step toward possible atomic-weapons production, United Nations inspectors said in a confidential report, starting work on an assembly line to manufacture a key material at the core of nuclear warheads and raising the stakes in Tehrans standoff with Washington ahead of President-elect Joe Bidens inauguration.
The International Atomic Energy Agency, in a report for member states viewed Wednesday by The Wall Street Journal, said Iran told the watchdog that it would install equipment to produce uranium metal at a site in Isfahan over the next four to five months. Uranium metal can be used to build the core of a nuclear weapon.
The IAEA said that in January 2019, Iran informed the agency it intended to produce more advanced fuel for its Tehran Research Reactor. After being repeatedly pressed by the agency, it set out a plan in mid-December saying it would make uranium metal to make an advanced fuel for the Tehran reactor.
Iran hasnt made uranium metal so far, senior Western officials said. The IAEA said Tehran had given it no timeline for when it would do so.
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