Iran is expanding its underground uranium enrichment capacity, according to a new report by the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
According to the report seen by Reuters, Iran apparently intends to go further in its uranium enrichment, increasing the number of advanced centrifuges used to purify uranium.
The report was an updated of a September report on a visit at the end of August by IAEA inspectors to the underground Natanz nuclear plant.
Installation of seven cascades of advanced centrifuges has since taken place at Natanz, the confidential report revealed.
The newly installed machines – six IR-2m machines and one IR-4 machine — are far more efficient than the IR-1 centrifuges allowed under the 2015 JCPOE nuclear deal signed by Tehran with world powers.
The new centrifuges have not yet begun to enrich uranium, the IAEA reported.
But Iran told the nuclear watchdog agency that it intends to add three more cascades of IR-2m centrifuges at the underground nuclear facility. Work has started on two of them.
At present, there are 12 such cascades at the plant, all of which include combined centrifuges that are already enriching uranium.
Iran has also added more centrifuges at its underground Fordow nuclear plant, which together with Natanz is designed to withstand any aerial attack on the facilities.
