Iran's enriched uranium stockpile 30 times over 2015 accord limit: UN

Iran's estimated stockpile of enriched uranium had surpassed the limit set in the 2015 accord by more than 30 times, according to a report by the UN watchdog IAEA.

Planned discussions between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to address the ongoing dispute over Tehran's nuclear programme have been suspended following the death of President Ebrahim Raisi earlier this month, the agency announced.

One day after the May 19 helicopter crash that killed Raisi and others, "Iran indicated that due to the 'special circumstances', it was no longer appropriate to hold substantive discussions," and a new date for talks would be set, according to a confidential report seen by AFP on Monday.

Tensions between Iran and the IAEA have repeatedly escalated since the 2015 deal, which aimed to curb Tehran's nuclear programme in exchange for sanction relief, collapsed. In recent years, Iran has reduced its cooperation with the IAEA by deactivating surveillance devices necessary for monitoring the nuclear programme and barring UN inspectors.

Earlier this month, IAEA chief Rafael Grossi visited Iran to attempt to enhance cooperation with Tehran. After returning, Grossi expressed frustration, describing the cooperation as "completely unsatisfactory."

In a separate confidential report seen by AFP ahead of an IAEA board of governors' meeting next week, the agency reported that Iran's estimated stockpile of enriched uranium had surpassed the limit set in the 2015 accord by more than 30 times. The report estimated Iran's total enriched uranium stockpile at 6,201.3 kilograms as of May 11, an increase of 675.8 kilograms since the last quarterly report in February.

Efforts mediated by the EU to revive the deal, aiming to bring the US back into the agreement and ensure Iran's compliance, have so far been unsuccessful.