The Biden administration is pressing European allies to back off plans to rebuke Iran for advances in its nuclear program, even as it expands its stockpile of near-weapons-grade fissile material to a record level, according to diplomats involved in discussions.
The U.S. is arguing against an effort by Britain and France to censure Iran at the International Atomic Energy Agency’s member state board in early June, the diplomats said.
The U.S. has pressed a number of other countries to abstain in a censure vote, saying that is what Washington will do, they said.
U.S. officials deny lobbying against a resolution.
The differences are emerging as Western officials’ concerns have deepened about Iran’s nuclear activities.
On Monday, the U.N. atomic-energy agency reported that Iran’s stockpile of 60% highly enriched uranium rose 20.6 kilograms to 142.1 kg as of May 11 from three months earlier, its highest level to date.
U.S. officials say that material could be converted into weapons-grade enriched uranium in a matter of days. It would then be enough to fuel three nuclear weapons.
Some U.S. officials say they fear Iran could be more volatile as the country moves toward elections for a new leader after the death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash earlier this month.
The Biden administration has long said it is seeking a diplomatic solution on Iran’s nuclear program.
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Blinken will probably try to solve this problem diplomatically, by sending John Kerry, with a couple of billion, to negotiate with the Mullahs one more time.
No end to the hypocrisy here!
“Contain” Iran? Do we in the U.S. with our partner Israel contain our attacks and militarism? It’s up to us, to the extent we have power, to use our resources with restraint and then only for bringing peace to the region and the world. We are NOT doing that.
Let’s please clean our own house before we blame others for bombings and violence and the growing possibility of World War III.
@EnragedWelfareSocialist2yrs2Y
Trump killed this deal. I really feel like most Republicans are incapable of good leadership. Their policy decisions are rooted in fear, hatred and doing the complete opposite of Dems whether that is the logical decision or not.
@ShadsFrankieIndependent2yrs2Y
President Obama and an international team had it right. From the beginning of the Iran nuclear deal it WAS working. There was no doubt about it. And can we ever forget the time when Netanyahu not only had the audacity but also was given the proverbial green light to speak against it to Congress...and the American people?
The entire reason we’re in this mess is because Joe Biden is president. The tyrants of the world are seizing this opportunity.
Biden has never made a proper foreign policy decision in his entire life. The fact that he is so mentally deprived is going to put our whole world at war with his miscalculations. The best thing we have going for peace is his likely failure November 5th.
@P0l1cyPepperGreen2yrs2Y
To think we actually had a deal with Iran constraining their nuclear development until some nihilist clod tore it up for the sole reason that he didn't participate in its development
@SnailGracePatriot2yrs2Y
I am so happy the adults and JB is in charge….the worlds is on fire…WWlll is around the corner….we have crippled our military….we are a laughing stock on the world stage…we have a president who can speak coherently and is working to divide our country even further
"With Nuclear Deal Dead, Containing Iran Grows More Fraught"
What? The nuclear agreement is dead?
Once Trump unilaterally deep-sixed the original agreement, he vowed to come up with a better deal, the best the world has ever seen. What happened to that deal?
Trump's own sec of state said the Iran agreement was working and Containing Iran. trump didn't like the truth so he fired Tillerson and tore up the agreement.
Look at Iran now! Thanks trump!
@ISIDEWITH2yrs2Y
@ISIDEWITH2yrs2Y
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