Iran Escalates Production of Uranium Near Weapons-Grade, IAEA Warns 'Several' Nukes Could Be Next

A United Nations nuclear watchdog report reveals that Iran has significantly increased its production of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels. The escalation has come since the reelection of President Donald Trump, a strong ally of Israel. 

Trump's return to the White House could free Israel to take decisive action against the nuclear program of the Iranian regime which has been trying to destroy the Jewish state through its terrorist proxies Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis.

The concerning nuclear report, from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), indicates that by February 8, Iran had accumulated 605.8 pounds of uranium enriched to 60%. This marks a rapid increase of over 200 pounds since the IAEA's last update in November. The material is just one technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%.

The IAEA described this as a significant and concerning development. According to the agency, roughly 92 pounds of uranium enriched to 60% would theoretically be enough to produce one nuclear bomb if further enriched to 90%. The report also noted that, as of February 8, Iran's total stockpile of enriched uranium had reached 18,286 pounds, up by 3,725.8 pounds since November.

The Trump administration has made it clear that preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons is a top priority. National Security Council spokesperson Brian Hughes said, "President Trump has put the Iran regime on notice by reimposing maximum pressure and is committed to ensuring the regime never gets a nuclear weapon. He has also made clear he is open to talks with Iran to reach an agreement that addresses the outstanding issues between our two countries."

Trump cracked down on Iran during his first term, taking action in 2018 to withdraw from the controversial 2015 nuclear deal, and imposing sanctions that severely impacted Iran's economy.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei indicated in August that he saw no harm in engaging with the U.S., but more recently he said negotiations were neither wise nor honorable after Trump suggested talks regarding nuclear issues.

Although Iran claims its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi has cautioned that Tehran's stockpile of near weapons-grade uranium could be enough to build "several" nuclear bombs if the regime decided to do so. U.S. intelligence agencies assert that Iran is positioning itself for a nuclear weapons program.

The IAEA had already warned in December 2024 that Iran was likely to dramatically increase its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, partly due to its deployment of advanced centrifuges. 

Wednesday's report also noted that no progress had been made in resolving questions surrounding uranium particles found at two Iranian sites, Varamin and Turquzabad, which the IAEA believes may indicate undeclared nuclear activities.

The IAEA report also highlighted that Iran had increased the number of advanced centrifuge cascades at two key nuclear facilities. At Fordo, Iran had added five more IR-6 centrifuges, bringing the total to seven. Similarly, at Natanz, Iran had increased the number of IR-2m centrifuge cascades by 12, bringing the total to 27. These more advanced centrifuges are capable of enriching uranium at a significantly faster rate than the original IR-1 models permitted under the 2015 nuclear deal.

The ongoing developments at Iran's nuclear sites, coupled with the increasing stockpile of enriched uranium, point to an escalating standoff as both the U.S. and Iran continue to navigate a fraught diplomatic landscape.