REUTERS, Vienna

Iran’s uranium-enrichment programme must be “completely dismantled”, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright told the UN nuclear watchdog’s annual General Conference yesterday.

The US and Israel bombed Iran’s uranium-enrichment plants in June, arguing Iran was getting too close to being able to produce a nuclear weapon, even though the International Atomic Energy Agency that inspects Iran’s nuclear facilities said it had no credible indication of a coordinated weapons programme.

The IAEA has, however, said it is concerning that Iran amassed an estimated 440.9 kg (972 lbs) of uranium enriched to up to 60% purity, close to the roughly 90% of weapons-grade. That is enough, if enriched further, for 10 nuclear bombs, according to an IAEA yardstick.

Iran’s enrichment plants were seriously damaged or destroyed in the attacks. It is less clear what happened to its stock of enriched uranium. The IAEA has not been able to carry out verification inspections since the attacks.

“If it wasn’t already clear enough, I will restate the United States’ position on Iran,” Wright said in a speech to the meeting of all IAEA member states.

“Iran’s nuclear weapons pathway, including all (uranium) enrichment and (plutonium) reprocessing capabilities, must be completely dismantled.”