US expects Iran to reduce uranium stockpile

US Department of State said yesterday that Washington expects Iran is to reduce its uranium stockpile “to the right amount” by 30 June, Reuters reported.

Speaking to journalists at her daily briefing, US State Department spokesperson Marie Harf said: “If they do not, that will be a problem.” However, she stressed Iran will do. “We expect that they will.”

Reuters said that under an interim nuclear pact struck in November 2013 and renewed the following year, every six months Iran must reduce its stockpile of low enriched uranium (LEU) that is enriched to a purity of up to five per cent, to a maximum of about 7,650 kilogrammes.

According to the latest report of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Iran has about 8,714.7 kilogrammes of low enriched uranium. If refined much further, enriched uranium can provide fuel for nuclear weapons.

Harf said Iran’s LEU stockpile had gone up and down but it has always retuned to the 7,650 kilogrammes level to meet previous deadlines, as required. Under a subsequent agreement struck on 2 April, Iran must eventually cut the stockpile to 300 kilogrammes.

Regarding last week’s New York Times report that Iran is increasing its stockpile of enriched uranium which complicates the negotiations, Harf said: “It is not.”

“Honestly, I have talked to all of the nuclear experts on this,” Harf said. “There is not a concern that they will get down to the right amount by June 30.”