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0 pointshypeatei10mo ago0 comments

The IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) released a report in May saying they enriched up to 60% U-235 at one of their facilities[0].

> As previously reported, on 5 December 2024, Iran started feeding the two IR-6 cascades producing UF6 enriched up to 60% U-235 at FFEP with UF6 enriched up to 20% U-235, rather than UF6 enriched up to 5% U-235, without altering the enrichment level of the product. The effect of this change has been to significantly increase the rate of production of UF6 enriched up to 60% at FFEP to over 34 kg of uranium in the form of UF6 per month.

0: https://www.iaea.org/sites/default/files/25/06/gov2025-24.pd...

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sodality210mo ago

60% is not weapons grade.

dardeaup10mo ago

Why would any country enrich uranium to 60% or more?

hwillis10mo ago

Radiopharmaceuticals are enriched to 60%. Iran is one of the top producers in the world. Iran has a natural abundance of radioactive isotopes- the background radiation of spots in Iran is extremely high: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramsar,_Iran

https://www.energy.gov/science/ip/articles/harnessing-power-...

https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/04/08/723301/Iran-among-t...

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sorcerer-mar10mo ago

To negotiate back to a prior deal that was actually pretty great for all parties involved.

g8oz10mo ago

Cato institute has argued it was for leverage in talks with the US. Iranians were quite clear about this, setting timelines for enrichment targets to amp up the pressure after the us withdrew from JCPOA.

hypeateiOP10mo ago

No, but it was a significant jump from what they had before. I'm not a fan of what is being done by Israel and the US, to be clear.

sodality210mo ago

True. Weapons grade in approximately 2 months was one estimate given by the Institute for Science and International Security.

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adgjlsfhk110mo ago

the last bit of refinement is much easier than the initial bits. Natural abundance is 0.7%, so getting to 10% is about halfway to weapons grade and 60% is ~80-90% of the way there.

UltraSane10mo ago

But weapons are the ONLY reason to enrich that high.

throwaway203710mo ago

You raise a very good point here, probably the most important consideration if one wishes to defend Israel's and US's recent bombing of Iranian nuclear research sites. I don't know any legitimate civilian purpose to enrich uranium to near-weapons grade... except to eventually produce weapons grade material.

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sodality210mo ago

Not true. Maybe the only plausible reason Iran has to make them, but that's a different claim.

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sodality210mo ago

60% is not weapons grade.

dardeaup10mo ago

Why would any country enrich uranium to 60% or more?

hwillis10mo ago

https://www.energy.gov/science/ip/articles/harnessing-power-...

https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/04/08/723301/Iran-among-t...

1 more reply

sorcerer-mar10mo ago

To negotiate back to a prior deal that was actually pretty great for all parties involved.

g8oz10mo ago

hypeateiOP10mo ago

No, but it was a significant jump from what they had before. I'm not a fan of what is being done by Israel and the US, to be clear.

sodality210mo ago

True. Weapons grade in approximately 2 months was one estimate given by the Institute for Science and International Security.

1 more reply

adgjlsfhk110mo ago

the last bit of refinement is much easier than the initial bits. Natural abundance is 0.7%, so getting to 10% is about halfway to weapons grade and 60% is ~80-90% of the way there.

UltraSane10mo ago

But weapons are the ONLY reason to enrich that high.

throwaway203710mo ago

1 more reply

sodality210mo ago

Not true. Maybe the only plausible reason Iran has to make them, but that's a different claim.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse