Iranian stockpiles of enriched uranium have grown by nearly 50% since February, according to a Saturday report from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the U.N. organ tasked with monitoring Iran’s nuclear stockpiles. The radical Islamist regime now possesses 900.8 pounds of enriched uranium, enough to construct 10 nuclear weapons, up from the 605.8 pounds noted in the IAEA’s February 8 report. “The nuclear program that Iran is trying to implement or create — that is top of mind for the Israelis and the Israeli government,” said Rep. Marlon Stutzman (R-Ind.).

The latest IAEA statistic was part of a confidential quarterly report released before its 35-nation board of governors meeting on June 9. Despite this confidentiality, multiple international news agencies viewed the report.

Iran’s uranium is enriched to 60%, far above the level needed for civilian applications. The process of transforming 60%-enriched uranium into weapons-grade uranium (90%-enriched) takes a matter of days. Iran is the only nation without nuclear weapons to have uranium enriched to 60%, according to the IAEA.

Iran’s stockpile of nearly-weapons-grade uranium has more than doubled over the past 12 months. According to previous IAEA reports, Iran possessed 363.1 pounds of enriched uranium in August 2024, 401.9 pounds in November 2024, 605.8 pounds in February 2025, and now 900.8 pounds in May. These data also show that Iran’s production of enriched uranium is accelerating — with a nearly 50% increase from November to February and another 50% increase from February to May.

The rapid increase in Iranian stockpiles heightens Israeli fears about the hostile regime’s intention to obtain nuclear weapons. “The agency presents a stark picture that serves as a clear warning sign: Despite countless warnings by the international community, Iran is totally determined to complete its nuclear weapons program,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to the report.

“The report strongly reinforces what Israel has been saying for years — the purpose of Iran’s nuclear program is not peaceful,” Netanyahu continued. “This is evident from the alarming scope of Iran’s uranium enrichment activity. Such a level of enrichment exists only in countries actively pursuing nuclear weapons and has no civilian justification whatsoever.”

The report comes amid ongoing discussions between American and Iranian officials over the future of that country’s nuclear program. America has insisted that Iran dismantle its enrichment capabilities, while Iran maintains that such enrichment is its sovereign right.

Before the IAEA report, President Donald Trump on Friday was confident that the Iranian regime would eventually agree to a deal. “They don’t want to be blown up,” he said. “They would rather make a deal, and I think that could happen in the not-too-distant future.”

If the Iranian regime ever plans to capitulate, their bristling public statements leave them little room to save face. “Whether or not we need enrichment — and we do — it’s unacceptable for some to impose restrictions on us just because they consider themselves powerful,” declared Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. He added that reaching a diplomatic solution “requires an agreement that will fully terminate all sanctions and uphold Iran’s nuclear rights — including enrichment.”

“In my conversations with some Israeli officials … the concern here is dragging out this timeline,” said Family Research Council President Tony Perkins. “After, I think, five rounds of talks between the United States and Iran … they intend to reject the U.S.-proposed deal regarding their nuclear program.”

“Time is not on the side of safety,” Perkins added.

Israel is also worried about the possibility that America will agree to a bad deal. For decades, Iran has insisted it will not sign any deal that does not allow it to enrich uranium. On Saturday, Axios reported that U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff had proposed a deal that would allow Iran to maintain low-level uranium enrichment capabilities for a period of time.

“I don’t believe Iran should have a nuclear program full stop,” Stutzman stated. “I mean, they have plenty of gas. They have plenty of oil. There is no reason for a nuclear program for utility purposes.”

“When you start and teach your young children … ‘Death to America, Death to Israel,’ and you continue to fund terrorist programs, terrorist organizations around the Middle East to attack Israel, there is no reason for them to have a nuclear program,” he explained. “Not only Israel, but also Saudi Arabia, Turkey, [and] any other Middle Eastern country shouldn’t want Iran to have a nuclear program because they’re already the bullies in the Middle East, and they would only be a bigger one with the nuclear program.”

For his part, President Trump contradicted news reports regarding Witkoff’s deal, writing on Truth Social, “Under our potential Agreement — WE WILL NOT ALLOW ANY ENRICHMENT OF URANIUM!”

In a second report released Saturday, the IAEA also condemned Iran for its “less than satisfactory” cooperation with its oversight. “In particular, Iran has repeatedly either not answered or not provided technically credible answers to the agency’s questions and has sanitised locations as listed in this report, which has impeded agency verification activities.”

According to the IAEA, “three locations, and other possible related locations, were part of an undeclared structured nuclear programme carried out by Iran until the early 2000s,” and “some activities used undeclared nuclear material.” The IAEA is still not satisfied with Tehran’s answers — or lack thereof — regarding these sites.

Based upon these findings, the U.S., the U.K., France, and Germany plan to submit a resolution at the June meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors, which would formally find Iran in non-compliance with IAEA oversight for the first time.

The troubling IAEA reports bolster the conclusion that Iran is “just going to wait us out,” Stutzman suggested. “They laugh at the United States behind closed doors because … they have a long-term plan to accomplish their goals of eliminating the infidel.”

In response to suggestions that Trump should have already abandoned diplomacy in favor of a military strike, he responded, “I truly think that President Trump is flushing them out, showing again that they are going to reveal themselves for what they truly want to do, and that is to have a nuclear program to bomb Israel.”

Meanwhile, Israel maintains that its future security — even existence — may hang in the balance. “The report clearly indicates that Iran remains in non-compliance of its fundamental commitments and obligations under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and continues to withhold cooperation from IAEA inspectors,” Netanyahu concluded. “The international community must act now to stop Iran.”