Iran offers to cap sensitive uranium stock to avoid IAEA resolution

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

During International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi’s trip to Iran last week, “the possibility of Iran not further expanding its stockpile of uranium enriched up to 60 percent U-235 was discussed,” read one of the two confidential quarterly IAEA reports, both seen by Reuters.

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

A senior diplomat, however, said Iran’s offer, which would cap the stock at around 185 kg, was conditional on Western powers scrapping a planned resolution against Iran at this week’s IAEA Board of Governors meeting.