Tehran continues to produce uranium metal, which can be used in the production of a nuclear bomb, the United Nation's atomic watchdog confirmed Tuesday.
The new information can further complicate the possibility of reviving a historic 2015 deal with world powers on the Iranian nuclear program.
The deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, provided Iran relief from sanctions in return for restrictions on its nuclear program.
The UN nuclear watchdog’s director, Rafael Grossi, informed IAEA member states on Tuesday that Tehran was increasing its nuclear capacity at its Natanz enrichment plant.
In a statement to AFP, Grossi said that "Iran had configured a new operational mode for the production of UF6 enriched up to 60 percent of U-235."
The move takes Iran closer to the 90 percent purity level needed for use in a nuclear weapon.
Iran has gradually rolled back its nuclear commitments since 2018, when then-US president Donald Trump withdrew from the multilateral nuclear deal and began imposing sanctions.
