UN Watchdog Reports Iran’s Escalating Uranium Enrichment; Israel Urges Immediate Action
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has reported that Iran has sharply increased its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, now standing at 408.6 kilograms enriched to 60% purity. This marks a 50% rise from February levels and brings Iran dangerously close to weapons-grade capability, which begins at 90% enrichment. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi stressed that Iran remains the only non-nuclear-armed nation enriching uranium to such a level, raising international alarms over Tehran’s intentions and compliance with non-proliferation norms.
Israel Demands Urgent Global Response
Reacting strongly to the report, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged the global community to act decisively against Iran’s continued defiance of international nuclear protocols. He warned that Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile could soon allow it to produce multiple nuclear warheads, which poses a direct threat to both regional stability and global peace. “Iran is not accumulating this material for peaceful purposes,” Netanyahu said, calling on the U.S. and European powers to abandon what he described as “inaction masked as diplomacy.”
Western Nations Consider UN Resolution Against Iran
The IAEA findings are expected to dominate discussions at the upcoming IAEA Board of Governors meeting on June 9. Western powers, including the United States, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, are reportedly preparing a resolution that would formally declare Iran in breach of its obligations under the nuclear non-proliferation agreement. This could pave the way for the reimposition of sanctions lifted under the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which Iran has repeatedly violated since the U.S. withdrawal in 2018.
Unresolved Nuclear Activities Fuel Doubts
In addition to the current stockpile, the IAEA also raised long-standing concerns about Iran’s undeclared nuclear sites and unresolved questions about nuclear material found at multiple facilities. There are also suspicions that Iran previously conducted weapons-related research prior to 2003. These concerns continue to fuel speculation that Iran may be pursuing a covert weapons program, despite repeated denials by Tehran. Analysts warn that if left unchecked, the situation could escalate rapidly into a full-blown security crisis in the Middle East.
