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       VIENNA: Iran has offered not to expand its stock of uranium enriched to up to 60 per cent purity, near the roughly 90pc of weapons grade, and made preparations to do that, the UN nuclear watchdog said in confidential reports to member states on Tuesday.

       The offer is conditional, however, on Western powers abandoning their push for a resolution against Iran at this week’s meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s 35-nation Board of Governors over its lack of cooperation with the IAEA, diplomats said, adding that the push was continuing.

       During IAEA chief Rafael Grossi’s trip to Iran last week, “the possibility of Iran not further expanding its stockpile of uranium enriched up to 60pc U-235 was discussed”, read one of the two confidential quarterly IAEA reports.

       It added that the IAEA had verified that Iran had “begun implementation of preparatory measures”.

       “On 16 November 2024, the agency verified … that Iran had begun implementation of preparatory measures aimed at stopping the increase of its stockpile of uranum enriched up to 60pc,” it added.

       Tehran to consider allowing four ‘experienced inspectors’ to work at nuclear sites

       Iran’s offer was to cap the stock of uranium enriched to up to 60pc at around 185 kg, or the amount it had two days ago, a senior diplomat said.

       That is enough in principle, if enriched further, for four nuclear weapons, according to an IAEA yardstick.

       Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons.

       The report said Iran’s stock of uranium enriched to up to 60pc had grown by 17.6 kg since the previous report to 182.3 kg as of Oct 26, also enough for four weapons by that measure.

       According to the IAEA, Tehran is the only non-nuclear weapon state to enrich uranium to 60pc, a short step from the 90pc level needed for atomic weapons.

       Diplomats said that the planned censure is driven by a need to raise diplomatic pressure on Iran to come back into compliance and address the IAEA’s long-standing concerns.

       Inspectors

       The second report said Iran had also agreed to consider allowing four more “experienced inspectors” to work in Iran after it barred most of the IAEA’s inspectors who are experts in enrichment last year in what the IAEA called a “very serious blow” to its ability to do its job properly in Iran.

       Published in Dawn, November 20th, 2024