UN, Iran and Egypt meet to discuss Iran’s nuclear program as enrichment continues

Iranian, Egyptian and UN leaders met in Cairo on Monday to discuss Iran’s nuclear program after the UN nuclear watchdog agency in a confidential report said Iran is further increasing its stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels, Report informs via AP News.

The report emerged amid US-Iran talks aimed at attempting to limit Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for lifting some of the crushing economic sanctions that the US has imposed on the Islamic Republic, which have strained relations for almost 50 years.

Rafael Mariano Grossi, director-general of the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency, said the agency compiled its report, seen by The Associated Press over the weekend, because Iran’s uranium enrichment is an ongoing concern for the IAEA’s board of governors.

Grossi said they hoped the report would provide “an incentive for a peaceful solution and a diplomatic solution.”

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with Grossi as well as Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi and Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty.

The confidential IAEA report raised a warning, saying Iran is now “the only non-nuclear-weapon state to produce such material,” something the agency said was of “serious concern.”

The IAEA report said that Iran, as of May 17, had amassed 408.6 kilograms (900.8 pounds) of uranium enriched up to 60%. That is an increase of almost 50% since the IAEA’s last report in February. The 60% enriched material is a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%.

Iran’s leadership has said it believes the IAEA report is politically motivated by Grossi’s hopes of becoming the next UN secretary-general.

Grossi is attempting to attract the votes of several members of the UN Security Council with the report, the head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, Mohammad Eslami, told the official IRNA news agency late Sunday.

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