WarSclerotic

Iran has accelerated its nuclear program and currently possesses a sufficient supply of enriched uranium to make three nuclear devices, assuming it speeds up enrichment to 90 percent, according to a new report by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The report was presented ahead of a discussion by the IAEA board of governors, as well as the organization’s General Assembly, which will meet in Vienna this month.

	Technicians measuring parts of Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant in this undated photo.
	Photo by: AP

According to the findings, Iran currently has 22 kilograms of uranium enriched at levels of 20 percent, and a total of 2.8 tons of uranium enriched at 3.5 percent. The material is being supervised by IAEA inspectors and Iran cannot make use of it for military purposes without this being known to the international community.

The report raises concerns, however, over what is described as Iran’s consistent rejection of the IAEA decisions regarding the identity of the inspectors, and points out that in June Iran prevented two inspectors it did not like from entering its nuclear sites.

Iran’s efforts to interfere in the organization’s ability to inspect its nuclear sites are also highlighted in the report, which essentially suggests that Tehran is following a predetermined path – that Western intelligence services have argued is aimed at achieving military nuclear capabilities.

Experts say the recent batch of sanctions are not deterring Tehran from its goal. Both Israeli and American intelligence organizations believe that if Iran continues to progress technologically at this pace, it will acquire military nuclear capability by 2014.