International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi said on Monday that Iran will soon have a "significant quantity" of weapons-grade nuclear material enough to build a nuclear weapon
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 06th June, 2022) International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi said on Monday that Iran will soon have a "significant quantity" of weapons-grade nuclear material enough to build a nuclear weapon.
According to the IAEA terminology, a significant quantity (SQ) is the approximate amount of nuclear material allowing for the possibility of manufacturing a nuclear explosive device. The IAEA said in its report last week that Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium was more than 18 times the limit set in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
"This is going to happen because they continue to enrich in quite a sustained way. So, it is a matter of time when they get to one or more so-called significant quantities," Grossi told journalists when asked whether it is true that Iran will stockpile enough weapons-grade nuclear material to build a nuclear weapon between IAEA's inspections, adding that "having an SQ, as we call them, does not mean having a bomb."
The IAEA chief added that Iran continues the development of its centrifuges necessary for the enrichment, meaning that Tehran will soon have the technology to enrich more material and faster.
"In general, if you take all the material that they have, if you want to put it together, to bundle it together, there is already a significant quantity... And since they are continuing with the process, well, then it is just a matter of a few weeks," Grossi added.
Grossi told the meeting of the IAEA board of Governors earlier on Monday that the Agency verified and monitored the implementation of Iran's nuclear commitments under the JCPOA up to February 23, 2021. However, the IAEA chief said, "since that date, these activities have been seriously affected by Iran's decision to stop the implementation of its nuclear-related commitments under the JCPOA." Therefore, Grossi reiterated that the IAEA requires as much access to the nuclear facilities of Iran as possible to effectively ensure verification and implementation mechanisms.
In 2015, the P5+1, Iran and the European Union signed the multiparty nuclear agreement, formally known as the JCPOA, to provide sanctions relief to Iran in exchange for scaling back its nuclear activities. In 2018, the US unilaterally withdrew from the agreement and reimposed sanctions on Iran.
In April 2021, the parties to the agreement, together with the United States, began negotiations to restore the nuclear deal, working in Vienna. However, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell announced in March a pause in the Vienna talks "due to external factors."
Grossi said in late May that nuclear aspects of the deal with Iran on its atomic research have been "pretty much finalized" but the talks have stumbled on non-nuclear issues.
