Iran Says Can Produce Up to 9kg of 20%-Enriched Uranium per Month

Ali-Akbar Salehi, the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), said between 17 and 20 grammes of 20%-enriched uranium is produced per hour in the country.

“We have the capability to produce 8 to 9 kilogrammes a month until we get to the 120kg ceiling stipulated in the law (recently passed by the Parliament,” he noted.

Salehi underlined Iran has stockpiled as much fuel as needed to operate nuclear reactors in the country for five years.

“The 20%-enriched uranium that we are producing now will be stored as well,” he added.

The official then touched upon the activities his organization is conducting.

“The organization is conducting extensive activities, including the construction of 2 atomic power stations in Bushehr. These two facilities are the biggest industrial projects in the country and come with a price tag of around $10 billion,” he added.

“We don’t have any other project in the country which costs $10 billion,” he noted.

Salehi added major activities are also underway in the exploration and exploitation sector.

He noted yellowcake production capacity in the country has increased eight-fold, and between 35 to 40 tonnes of the material will have been produced by March 2021.