Iran already has enough uranium enriched to up to 60%, if enriched further, to make three nuclear bombs, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency’s theoretical definition, and more at lower enrichment levels. Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons.

Iran is enriching to up to 60%, close to the roughly 90% that is weapons grade, at its Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant (PFEP) in its sprawling Natanz complex and at its Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant (FFEP), which is dug into a mountain.

“The Agency confirms that, since the end of November 2023, the rate at which Iran has been producing uranium enriched up to 60% U-235 at these two facilities combined has increased to approximately 9 kg per month,” the report to member states said.

Critical mass for U-235 is 56kg, and fuel grade Uranium is between 3-5%.

There are no legitimate non-weapons applications of Uranium enriched above 20%.

  • steventhedev@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
    78·
    1 year ago

    It is unknown how much uranium they have enriched to 90%, but the IAEA have confirmed that at least 280kg have been enriched to 60%, and Iran is producing an additional 9kg per month from these facilities. I’m not overly familiar with how long the enrichment process will take to go from 60% to 90%, or even if it is a different process than their existing one.

    But the jump from having sufficient materiel to having a functional physics package is extremely short and not at all complex - it’s taught in AP Physics classes and well described on wikipedia.

    Point being that they are potentially mere months away from having nuclear weapons.