Iran has followed through on plan to produce uranium metal, IAEA says

Iran has followed through on its plan to make uranium metal, the U.N. nuclear watchdog confirmed on Wednesday after Tehran alarmed Western nations with its intent to produce the material with which the core of nuclear weapons can be made.

"Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi today informed IAEA Member States about recent developments regarding Iran's R&D activities on uranium metal production as part of its stated aim to produce fuel for the Tehran Research Reactor," the International Atomic Energy Agency said in a statement.

"The Agency on 8 February verified 3.6 gram of uranium metal at Iran's Fuel Plate Fabrication Plant (FPFP) in Esfahan," it added.