Diluting uranium means mixing it with blend material to reduce the enrichment level, so that the final product does not exceed a given enrichment threshold.

Before US and Israeli strikes on its nuclear facilities in June last year, Iran had been enriching uranium to 60%, far exceeding the 3.67% limit allowed under a now-defunct nuclear agreement reached with world powers in 2015.

Western countries, led by the US, suspect Tehran is seeking to develop nuclear weapons, a claim denied by Iran.

According to the UN’s nuclear watchdog, Iran is the only non-nuclear-weapons state enriching uranium to 60%.

It is also unknown where more than 400kg of highly enriched uranium that Iran possessed prior to the war has ended up, with UN inspectors last recording its location on June 10.

Such a stockpile could allow Iran to build more than nine nuclear bombs if enrichment reached 90%.

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly called for Iran to be subject to a total ban on enrichment, a condition unacceptable to Tehran and far less favourable than the 2015 agreement.

Iran maintains it has a right to a civilian nuclear programme under the provisions of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, to which it and 190 other countries are signatories.

Stay current - Follow FMT on WhatsApp, Google news and Telegram

Copyright © 2009 - 2026 FMT Media Sdn Bhd (1235453-U) All Rights Reserved. A part of Media Prima Group.