WEF 2025 – IAEA chief: Iran is rapidly increasing its uranium enrichment to levels required for a nuclear bomb.

Iran is "pressing the gas pedal" in its uranium enrichment efforts to levels close to military use, stated Rafael Grossi, the head of the IAEA, during the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday.

This was reported by Reuters.

Last month, Grossi announced that Iran had informed the IAEA that it would "significantly" accelerate uranium enrichment to 60% purity, approaching the 90% level associated with weapons-grade material.

Western nations have labeled this move a serious escalation, asserting that there is no civilian justification for enrichment to such levels, and that all other countries that have ever enriched uranium to that extent subsequently developed nuclear weapons.

Iran has declared that its program is entirely peaceful and that it has the right to enrich uranium to any level it desires.

"Previously, Iran produced more or less 7 kg of uranium enriched to 60% per month; now it exceeds 30 kg. So I think this is a clear sign of acceleration. They are pressing the gas pedal," Grossi told reporters in Davos.

According to IAEA criteria, approximately 42 kg of uranium enriched to that level is sufficient, if further enriched, for one nuclear bomb. Grossi mentioned that Iran currently has about 200 kg of uranium enriched to 60%.

Nevertheless, he stated that it will take time to establish and operate additional centrifuges—machines that enrich uranium—but acceleration is beginning to occur.

"From now on, we will start to see a continuous increase," he said.

Grossi called for diplomacy between Iran and the administration of new U.S. President Donald Trump, who during his first term withdrew the United States from the nuclear deal between Iran and major powers, which had imposed strict limits on Tehran's nuclear activities. Since then, that agreement has collapsed.

"From the initial statements of President Trump, one can conclude that there is a desire, so to speak, to have a conversation and possibly move towards some form of agreement," Grossi remarked.

Background. Recall that the Washington Post reported how Sullivan persuaded India and China in 2022 to "save the world" from the Russian nuclear bomb. Sullivan's strategy contained a paradox: Washington wanted Russia to be defeated by Ukraine, but not in a way that would provoke a nuclear conflict.