Iran's nuclear chief reveals uranium progress

Iran’s nuclear chief Gholamreza Aghazadeh today said Iran had enriched uranium up to 4.8%, almost the amount needed to fuel reactors.

The announcement tops Iran’s declaration of last month when it said it had surpassed the 3.6% level. To produce electricity, nuclear reactors require uranium enriched to 5%.

Uranium enriched to low a level can be used to fuel in reactors to generate electricity. Further enrichment makes it suitable for use in nuclear weapons.

“The latest enrichment percentage carried out in Iran is 4.8%,” state-run television quoted Aghazadeh as saying.