Iran Producing 60%, 20% Enriched Uranium Simultaneously: Nuclear Chief
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Ali Akbar Salehi said the country is enriching uranium to purity levels of 60% and 20% at the same time.
Speaking at a televised interview on Friday, Salehi said the AEOI is producing uranium enriched to 60 percent purity at a rate of 9 grams per hour.
While the cascades of centrifuge machines are producing 60% and 20% enriched uranium, the country is capable of enriching uranium to any purity level, he stated.
Salehi explained that the 60% enriched uranium would serve purposes at Tehran’s research reactor for the extraction of molybdenum, noting that it would not be used for producing fuel.
One of the main applications of 60% enriched uranium is in radiopharmacology, he added, noting that Iran is currently working on radiopharmaceuticals with uranium enriched to 20% purity.
He also dismissed rumors about nuclear contamination after the recent act of sabotage at the Natanz nuclear site, saying the enrichment facility is working strongly.
Iran’s ambassador to the IAEA had said earlier that enriching UF6 up to 60% was done in two cascades of IR-4 and IR-6 centrifuges in Natanz, adding, “This will improve significantly both the quality and quantity of radiopharmaceutical products.”
The move came in response to an act of sabotage that damaged a number of centrifuge machines in Natanz enrichment facility last Sunday.
The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran said on April 11 that the accident happened in part of the electricity network of Ahmadi Roshan nuclear enrichment facility, but it has not resulted in any casualties or contamination.
Israel's public radio quoted unidentified intelligence sources on Sunday as saying that Israel's Mossad spy agency carried out a cyber-attack against Iran's Natanz nuclear facility.
