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IRAN has discreetly boosted its stockpile of uranium enriched close to weapons-grade levels, nearing enough to create nuclear arms, according to the UN’s nuclear oversight body.
Tehran is now the only non-nuclear-armed nation identified to have developed such material, as detailed in a confidential International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report.
The country has accumulated 408.6 kilograms of uranium enriched up to 60 percent, which is a small technical leap from the 90 percent needed for weapons-grade material.
That’s an increase of 133.8kgs – almost 50 per cent – since IAEA’s last report in February.
Theoretically, some 42 kilograms of 90 per cent enriched uranium is enough to produce one atomic bomb.
This means if Tehran manages to enrich its current stockpile to weapons-grade levels, it would be sufficient to make at least nine atom bombs.
The UN report also estimates that Iran’s overall stockpile of enriched uranium stood at 9,247.6kgs – an increase of 953.2kgs since February.
The report comes as Tehran and Washington have been holding several rounds of talks over a possible nuclear deal that President Donald Trump is trying to reach.
Iran has maintained that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only.
But Rafael Grossi, the Director General for the IAEA, warned the world that the regime is “not far away” from completing a successful nuclear test aimed at military use.
US intelligence agencies assess that Iran has yet to begin a weapons program – but is in a position to produce a nuclear weapon if it wishes to.
Israel accused Iran of being determined to acquire nuclear weapons after the UN report was shared with memner states.
The report was a “clear warning sign” that “Iran is totally determined to complete its nuclear weapons programme”, a statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said.
It said IAEA’s report strongly reinforces what Israel has been saying for years: the purpose of Iran’s nuclear program is not peaceful.
“Such a level of enrichment exists only in countries actively pursuing nuclear weapons and has no civilian justification whatsoever,” it added.
The Sun previously revealed chilling satellite pictures showing Iran’s sprawling secret nuclear site codenamed “Rainbow”.
Sources inside Iran uncovered how the base is being used to develop nuclear-capable missiles with a 2,000-mile range – able to strike US bases in the Middle East.
But despite US Vice President JD Vance insisting talks between the US and Iran on the “right pathway”, Tehran has secretly been majorly expanding its nuke empire.
A powerful nuclear blast from Iran could have disastrous consequences for the Middle East – and beyond – thanks to the capability of the warheads.
This week, senior Iranian officials dismissed speculation about an imminent nuclear deal with the US.
They said that any agreement must fully lift sanctions and allow the country’s nuclear program to continue.
The comments came a day after Trump said he had told Netanyahu to hold off on striking Iran to give the US administration more time to push for a new deal with Tehran.
Trump said on Friday that he still thinks a deal could be completed in the not-too-distant future.
Iran’s accelerates nuclear development
Exclusive by Katie Davis, Chief Foreign Reporter (Digital)
IRAN is believed to have accelerated its nuclear weapons development and is building terrifying nuclear warheads for solid-fuel missiles with a range exceeding 1,800 miles (3,000km).
A powerful blast from Iran could impact on several continents due to the chilling capability of the warheads.
Italy, Ukraine, Sudan, India and even large swaths of Russia would all potentially be in the firing line.
They are being developed at two sites in Shahrud and Semnan, which were previously pinned as rocket or space satellite launch sites.
A third site, Sorkheh Hesar, is also said to be carrying out projects, including research on nuclear power and underground explosions.
Nukes are being quickly created under the watchful eye of the regime’s nuclear weaponization entity, the Organization for Advanced Defense Research (SPND).
Bosses are developing nuclear warheads for the solid-fuel Ghaem-100 missiles, which are equipped with mobile launch platforms at the Shahrud site.
Iran’s rocket designers have used North Korea’s missiles as a guide to develop the Ghaem-100 missile.
When the missile was in a very early testing stage in 2011, dozens of missile experts were killed at the Modarres site in Tehran.
Personnel vehicles are banned from entering the Shahrud site and are forced to park at a checkpoint before people are transported in.
Meanwhile, they are using the liquid fuel missile Simorgh to develop nuclear warheads in Semnan.
Iran has staged three successful Ghaem-100 missile launches over the past two years, enhancing the regime’s capability to deploy nuclear weapons.
He added: “They dont want to be blown up. They would rather make a deal.
“It would be a great thing if we could have a deal without bombs being dropped all over the Middle East.”
Tehran was slapped with a chilling deadline to either hold direct talks and sign a new nuclear agreement or potentially face military action.
But Khamenei strongly refused to agree to Trump’s demands, saying that Iran will not engage in any direct negotiations with the US.
The snub saw a furious Trump rip into the regime and threaten to strike Iran.
Trump said he would slap Tehran with further sanctions under his administration’s maximum pressure policy to cripple its economy.
Trump told NBC: “If they don’t make a deal, there will be bombing.
“It will be bombing the likes of which they have never seen before.”
The war of words came as the US amassed at least five B-2 strategic bombers on the British island of Diego Garcia – all aimed at Iran.
Iran is over 2,300 miles from where the bombers are stationed – but the B-2s have a massive 6,900-mile range.
The heavy bombers can obliterate targets with their huge 25-tonne bomb payload per jet.
It had been thought the five B-2 Spirit bombers were aimed at Yemen and the Houthi terror group after Trump launched strikes against them two weeks ago.
