‘Uranium particles’ detected at undeclared site in Iran: IAEA

The United Nations’ nuclear watchdog said it had detected uranium particles at an undeclared site in Iran in its latest report on the country’s nuclear program issued on Monday.

The report from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), seen by AFP, says: “The agency detected natural uranium particles of anthropogenic origin at a location in Iran not declared to the agency.”

The IAEA also confirmed that Iran has begun enriching uranium at its underground Fordow site in the latest breach of its deal with major powers, adding that Tehran’s enriched uranium stock has continued to grow, Reuters reported.

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Iran is breaching the deal’s limits on its nuclear activities step by step in response to Washington’s withdrawal from the accord last year and its renewed sanctions on Tehran. Tehran says it can quickly undo those breaches if Washington lifts its sanctions.

In a quarterly report, the International Atomic Energy Agency policing the deal said Iran’s reserve of enriched uranium and the purity to which it refines uranium remain above the deal’s limits.

Tehran is also enriching with more advanced centrifuges and enriching at Fordow, which the deal forbids