Iran has significantly increased its stockpile of enriched uranium in recent months, continuing to escalate its nuclear program despite denying it wants an atomic bomb, according to an International Atomic Energy Agency report seen by Agence France-Presse. .

The UN nuclear watchdog nevertheless notes “progress” in cooperation and decided to close the file on the presence of nuclear material at one of the three undeclared facilities — an issue that had strained relations between the two sides.

The Islamic Republic drastically reduced contacts with the IAEA and disconnected surveillance cameras last year, amid deteriorating relations between Iran and Western powers.

But the IAEA has only reinstalled surveillance equipment at some Iranian facilities that was originally installed as part of the implementation of the 2015 deal with major powers, the IAEA says, according to two confidential reports to member states seen by Reuters.

Additional surveillance equipment includes surveillance cameras at a site in Isfahan where centrifuge components are produced as well as surveillance equipment at two declared enrichment facilities.

One of the reports adds, however, that the IAEA “expects Iran’s commitment to resolve” the issues, including installing more monitoring equipment, as announced months ago.

At the same time, Tehran continued to release itself from commitments it had made under the 2015 international agreement, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) as it is called, in the wake of the unilateral withdrawal of the United States decided in 2018 by former President Donald Trump.

Its stockpiles of enriched uranium exceed the permitted limit by more than 23 times: they stood at 4,744.5 kg on May 13 (compared to 3,760.8 kg in October) according to the report presented to member states a few days before the Council meeting of IAEA governors.

Iran continues to enrich at high levels, far from the 3.67% limit: it now has 470.9 kg enriched at 20% (versus 434.7 kg previously) and 114.1 kg enriched at 60% (versus 87.5 kg).

Regarding the facilities in Marivan, in southern Iran, the IAEA says it has received “reasonable explanations” from Tehran.

The international agency “has no further questions” and this file is “considered settled at this time.”

However, the IAEA is sticking to its previous assessments on the matter, according to which Iran planned in 2003 to store nuclear materials there for explosive tests.