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Iran Expands Nuclear Program as Talks to Revive 2015 Deal Falter
(Wall Street Journal) Laurence Norman - Iran's cache of highly enriched uranium of 60% purity increased by about 30% in the quarter to August 21, reaching 55.6 kilograms, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency's latest quarterly report sent to member states. Its total stockpile of enriched uranium has grown to 3,941 kilograms, the report said. The highly enriched uranium can easily be converted into weapons-grade fuel, with Iran's stockpile of that material well above the minimum amount needed to fuel one nuclear weapon. The IAEA has also reported a sharp increase in the number of advanced centrifuges Tehran has installed and fed with uranium at its main nuclear facilities. Iran has also removed IAEA cameras that were overseeing the production of centrifuges, so Iran's inventory of the machines is unknown. "I am sorry to say that I am less confident today about the prospects of closing the deal right now," Josep Borrell, the EU foreign policy chief who coordinates the negotiations, said Monday.