Analysis: Iran moves closer to nuclear bomb as nuclear negotiations with the US continue
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement that the IAEA report is "grave and unequivocal" and indicated that it greatly strengthens Israel's position that Iran's nuclear program is not aimed at peaceful purposes.
Bushehr nuclear plant, Iran
Iran conducted secret nuclear activities in the past, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recently indicated in a report obtained recently by the Reuters agency.
According to the report, these activities took place at three sites that have been under investigation for a great deal of time. At these sites, Tehran used materials not declared to the nuclear watchdog.
The report further warned that Iran increased the amount of enriched uranium to an alarming 60%, bringing the Islamic Republic closer to producing a nuclear bomb.
The IAEA added in its report that these three sites - Marivan, Varamin and Turquzabad - along with others possibly related, were part of a classified nuclear program that Iran has maintained for about two decades.
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According to the IAEA, as of May 17, Iran possessed 408.6 kg of 60% enriched uranium, an increase of 133.8 kg from the previous report, published last March.
This is a level of increase close to 90%, which, according to the IAEA, would be enough for Iran to produce several atomic bombs.
In total, Iran possesses 9,247.6 kg of uranium enriched to different levels, which implies an increase of 953.2 kg in only three months.
The agency also indicated that Iran's cooperation was lower than expected. Rafael Grossi, director of the IAEA, urged Tehran to cooperate fully with the agency.
Netanyahu's reaction to the report
The Israeli Prime Minister's Office Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement that the report is "grave and unequivocal." And it added that the IAEA presents an alarming picture and that Iran is absolutely determined to complete its nuclear weapons program.
Netanyahu's Office further stated that the report greatly reinforces Israel's position: the goal of Iran's nuclear program is not peaceful.
The Israeli Prime Minister's Office also called on the international community to act now to stop Iran.
Tensions between Netanyahu and Trump over Iran negotiations
The report comes at a time of tensions between President Donald Trump's administration and Netanyahu's government, as Washington and Tehran are in negotiations to try to reach a new nuclear deal, after the American leader withdrew the United States from the previous treaty in 2018, during his first term as president.
Faced with the advance in the Iranian atomic program, Israel has threatened to attack the Islamic Republic's nuclear facilities. However, Trump warned Netanyahu against carrying out such an offensive.
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Last week, the U.S. president was optimistic about a possible deal with Iran.
In addition, the Wall Street Journal recently reported, citing a senior U.S. official, that Washington intends to present the Iranians with a formal proposal for Tehran to, among other things, suspend uranium enrichment, threatening "a bad day" for Iran if it rejects it.
According to Reuters, which quoted two Iranian sources last week, Tehran would be willing to halt its uranium enrichment if Washington recognizes the right of Iranians to enrich uranium for civilian purposes and releases frozen Iranian funds.
In Israel, faced with the possibility that negotiations between Washington and Tehran will not prosper, preparations for a possible multi-regional conflict intensified, reported the Israeli newspaper Ynet.
Iran strengthens its presence in Brazil: Hezbollah gains ground in universities and diplomatic networks
According to a recent report in the Argentine newspaper Infobae, Ali Abbasi, director of the Iranian Al-Mustafa University, recently visited Brazil. This institution has been sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department and by Canada for its role in the recruitment and training of Shiite militias in Syria in support of the regime of Bashar al-Assad, overthrown last December.
The U.S. Treasury Department notes that Al-Mustafa University acts as an international recruiting network for the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, responsible for the country's terrorist operations abroad.
Abbasi's visit coincided with a meeting in Moscow, Russia, between Celso Amorim, special advisor for foreign policy to Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and Ali Akbar Ahmadian, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council. The meeting took place within the framework of the 13th International Meeting of High Representatives for Security Affairs, although details of the topics discussed have not been disclosed.
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