Iran Has Enriched Uranium To 27%, Study Finds

The International Atomic Energy Agency had discovered traces of uranium enriched up to 27 percent at Iran’s Fordo enrichment plant, the highest threshold level discovered in the country to date.

While a 90-percent uranium enrichment level is needed to create the fissile core of nuclear arms the increase in enrichment is still trouble for a terrorist friendly country who’s last nuclear enrichment sat at just 20 percent.

Diplomats close to the discovery say it does not necessarily mean Iran is moving towards enrichment for the purpose of producing weapons-grade uranium. One explanation is that centrifuges that produce enriched uranium initially “over-enriched” the material as technicians adjusted their output to reach a sustainable level.

While Tehran says it is enriching uranium to provide power for its growing population the fear of nuclear weapons creation has led to various U.N. sanctions against the country.

Iran’s Fordo nuclear plant reached the 20 percent Uranium enrichment threshold last year, claiming that the higher level was needed to fuel a research reactor and for medical purposes.

Opponents to Iran’s nuclear enrichment program point out that the country has refused to accept nuclear reactor fuel from abroad, instead choosing to work in secret as the country attempts to further enrich its own resources.

In the meantime the United States and Israel have both threatened to use force if diplomacy fails to produce results and curb the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program.

While talks with Iran’s regime were unproductive on Wednesday diplomats are still hoping for a positive outcome, European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton told reporters:

“It is clear that we both want to make progress and that there is some common ground. However, significant differences remain. Nonetheless, we do agree on the need for further discussion to expand that common ground.”

Saeed Jalili, Iran’s top nuclear negotiator offered a far more cut and dry assessment of the talks:

“The result of the talks was that we were able to get more familiar with the views of each other.”

Iran is hoping that it can have tough U.S. sanctions lifted against its exports of critical oil supplies which account for 80% of the nations GDP. U.S. sanctions have also targeted Iran’s banking sector. Following in America’s footsteps will be the 27-nation European Union which will ban all Iranian fuel imports on July 1.

In the meantime Iran is believed to have nearly 700 active centrifuges at its Fordo nuclear plant with 350 new centrifuges that have not yet went live.