Ali Akbar Salehi, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, on Friday confirmed the country was now producing uranium enriched to 60 percent purity. “The enrichment of uranium to 60 percent is underway at the Martyr Ahmadi Roshan nuclear facility” in Natanz, he said, quoted by Tasnim news agency. He added that could see Iran’s production of 60 percent enriched uranium fall to six grams an hour, but added that it would continue to make 20 percent enriched uranium on the same two lines. The move to enrich uranium to 60 percent purity takes Iran closer to the 90 percent level required for use in a nuclear weapon. Iran says the step is a response to Israel’s “nuclear terrorism” after an explosion knocked out power at its Natanz enrichment plant on Sunday.

Source: The Guardian April 16, 2021 13:41 UTC