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Discouraging Any Iranian Decision to Produce Highly-Enriched Uranium
(Institute for Science and International Security) David Albright, Andrea Stricker, and Christina Walrond - The U.S. and the international community should prepare for the possibility that Iran may officially announce that it has decided to make highly-enriched uranium, including enriching up to 60%, under a civilian or naval nuclear rationale. The production of 60%-enriched uranium would put Iran significantly closer to having weapon-grade uranium (WGU, a form of highly-enriched uranium that is enriched to 90% or more), compared to its current stockpile of 19.75%-enriched uranium, and would significantly shorten the amount of time Iran would need in a breakout scenario. Moreover, Iran does not require 60%-enriched uranium. The production of highly-enriched uranium would be an important precedent, which Iran could later use to justify the production of weapon-grade uranium.