Iran has further increased its stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels, UN says

Associated Press

VIENNA (AP) — Iran has further increased its stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels, UN says.

Latest Stories

  • Europeans tell UN ready to 'snap back' Iran sanctions if needed

    Britain, France and Germany have told the United Nations Security Council that they are ready - if necessary - to trigger a so-called "snap back" of all international sanctions on Iran to prevent the country from acquiring a nuclear weapon. They will lose the ability to take such action on Oct. 18 next year when a 2015 U.N. resolution expires. The resolution enshrines Iran's deal with Britain, Germany, France, the United States, Russia and China that lifted sanctions on Tehran in exchange for restrictions on its nuclear program.

  • Iran accepts tougher oversight at Fordow enrichment plant, IAEA reports

    Iran has agreed to tougher monitoring by the U.N. nuclear watchdog at its Fordow site dug into a mountain after it greatly accelerated uranium enrichment to close to weapons grade there, the watchdog said on Thursday in a report seen by Reuters. Last week the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported Iran had multiplied the pace of its enrichment to up to 60% purity, close to the 90% of weapons grade, at Fordow, which Western powers called an extremely serious escalation in their standoff with Iran over its nuclear programme. At that time the agency said it would discuss the need for tougher so-called safeguards measures, such as inspections, at the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant (FFEP), one of two sites where Iran is enriching to that highest level.

  • Opinion - Iran’s nuclear phoenix may yet rise from the ashes of Gaza, Lebanon, Syria

    Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been dealt a severe blow with the destruction of Hamas and Hezbollah, but his nuclear weapons program is still active, and the Biden administration's decision to free up $10 billion for Iran through sanctions relief has only made the task of eliminating Tehran's nuclear threat even harder.

  • IAEA's 35-nation Board condemns attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure

    The U.N. nuclear watchdog's 35-nation Board of Governors passed a resolution on Thursday condemning attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, but failing to mention Russia as the culprit. Ukraine called Thursday's emergency International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board meeting to discuss a wave of attacks on Nov. 28 that Russia unleashed on its energy infrastructure, triggering deep power cuts across the country. The drone and missile attacks hit electricity sub-stations used by three of Ukraine's nuclear power plants to receive and transmit off-site power, which is critical to their safety since that power is necessary to cool their nuclear fuel and avoid a potentially catastrophic nuclear meltdown.

  • Exclusive-Trump considers ex-intelligence chief Richard Grenell for Iran position, sources say

    WASHINGTON (Reuters) -President-elect Donald Trump is now considering tapping Richard Grenell, his former intelligence chief, to be a special envoy for Iran, according to two people familiar with the transition plans. No final decisions on either personnel or strategy on Iran have been made official yet by Trump, including whether to slap fresh sanctions on the country, pursue diplomacy or both in order to halt their nuclear program. Trump's plans for the role have not previously been reported.

  • Syrian Atomic-Weapons Probe Disrupted by Assad Ouster, IAEA Says

    (Bloomberg) -- The United Nations atomic watchdog said a probe into potential Syrian nuclear-weapons activities was interrupted by the ouster of President Bashar Al-Assad, just as monitors closed in on a breakthrough in the long-running investigation. Most Read from BloombergBrace for a Nationwide Shuffle of Corporate HeadquartersHong Kong's Expat Party Hub Reshaped by Chinese InfluxAmerican Institute of Architects CEO ResignsCity Hall Is HiringCloud Computing Tax Threatens Chicago’s Silicon Val

  • Ontario mulls U.S. booze ban as Trump brushes off Ford's threat to cut electricity

    OTTAWA — Incoming U.S. president Donald Trump is brushing off Ontario's threat to restrict electricity exports in retaliation for sweeping tariffs on Canadian goods, as the province floats the idea of effectively barring sales of American alcohol.

  • Costco Is Rolling Out a Major Store Change Next Month, and Shoppers Are Not Happy

    "What a horrible decision," one shopper said.

  • Meghan Markle stuns in pink as she celebrates incredible baby news

    Meghan Markle was glowing after a happy baby celebration on Wednesday. See details.

  • Blue Ivy Carter Sparks Controversy By Wearing What Some Call A ‘Wildly Inappropriate’ Dress

    Certain social media users criticized the outfit, but many others voiced support for the 12-year-old daughter of Beyoncé and Jay-Z.

  • Tom Parker Bowles makes rare comment about Prince Harry

    Queen Camilla's son Tom Parker Bowles has made an ultra-rare comment about Prince Harry in a new interview with The Telegraph. Find out what he had to say here...

  • Kimberly Guilfoyle’s Fashion Choices Sparked Split From Don Jr.

    Kimberly Guilfoyle’s style choices drove fiancé Donald Trump Jr. to seek a new girlfriend who would better “impress” his father, according to a Trump insider. Don Jr. was spotted holding hands this week with Palm Beach socialite Bettina Anderson. Trump Jr. and Anderson reportedly began dating six months ago, while Guilfoyle “looked the other way,” according to People. Guilfoyle, 55, was named ambassador to Greece by Donald Trump on Wednesday, and People reported that it was Anderson who pushed f

  • Trudeau's comments on Kamala Harris 'not helpful,' premiers say, as Musk blasts PM

    OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's comments likening Kamala Harris's election loss to an attack on women's rights and progress earned him criticism from the country's premiers and from American billionaire Elon Musk on Wednesday.

  • Trump Backtracks On Campaign Pledge To Bring Down Grocery Prices

    The president-elect walked back what was always a wildly unrealistic campaign promise.

  • Bill Clinton Tells ‘The View’ How He’d Feel About Biden Pardoning Hillary

    Bill Clinton weighed in on whether he believes President Joe Biden should preemptively pardon his wife Hillary Clinton ahead of Trump’s re-taking office in January during his Wednesday sit down on .The View Co-host Sunny Hostin asked Clinton whether he thinks Hillary Clinton should receive a pardon, especially following threats to further investigate her from Trump’s pick for the head of the FBI, Kash Patel. “They got a problem with her because,” Clinton began, laughing, “first, she didn’t do an

  • Lynda Carter Has Hilarious (and Festive!) Wonder Woman Wardrobe Malfunction Alongside Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool

    The actress poked fun at Reynolds' 2018 ugly Christmas sweater mishap

  • ‘Oh My God!’: Seth Meyers Has Dark Realization About Donald Trump’s Billionaire Cabinet

    “Do you know what this means?”

  • Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick Joined by Both Kids for Rare Family Red Carpet Photo: See Their Looks!

    The couple and their children, Sosie and Travis, as well as his partner Angelina Sambrotto, attended the premiere of 'A Complete Unknown' in style

  • Russia tells citizens to avoid travel to the West - and responds to Donald Trump's call for Ukraine ceasefire

    Russia has issued a travel warning to its citizens as it said tensions with the US are "teetering on the verge of rupture". Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for the Russian foreign ministry, urged citizens on Wednesday to "refrain from trips to the US, Canada and with a few exceptions EU countries" over the Christmas period. "In the context of the increasing confrontation in Russian-American relations, which are teetering on the verge of rupture due to the fault of Washington, trips to the United States of America privately or out of official necessity are fraught with serious risks," Ms Zakharova said.

  • Ford threatens to cut off Ontario's energy supply to U.S. if Trump follows through on tariffs

    Premier Doug Ford says Ontario could cut off energy to the U.S. if president-elect Donald Trump makes good on a threat to impose steep tariffs on Canadian goods.Ford told reporters at Queen's Park that federal Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland will put together a list of items upon which Canada could impose retaliatory tariffs and so will the Ontario government."We will go to the full extent depending how far this goes. We will go to the extent of cutting off their energy, going down to Michiga