Iran enriching uranium at 60% purity at nuclear plant in Fordo
TEHRAN/GENEVA: Iran has begun enriching uranium at 60% purity at the country’s underground Fordo nuclear plant, official media reported on Tuesday, describing it as a response to a resolution by the UN’S nuclear watchdog.
The increased enrichment, reported by the official news agency IRNA, was seen as a significant addition to the country’s nuclear programme.
Enrichment to 60% purity is one short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%. Non-proliferation experts have warned in recent months that Iran now has enough 60%-enriched uranium to reprocess into fuel for at least one nuclear bomb.
Iran is already enriching to 60% purity at its Natanz nuclear facility in central Iran. Fordo is some 100km south of the capital of Tehran. IRNA did not give details on the amount of the uranium being produced.
More than 300 killed in protests: UN rights chief
The UN high commissioner for Human Rights said on Tuesday that the situation in Iran was “critical”, describing a hardening of response to protests that have resulted in more than 300 deaths in the past two months.
“The rising number of deaths from protests in Iran... and the hardening of the response by security forces, underline the critical situation in the country,” said a spokesperson for UN human rights chief Volker Turk.