Iran has significantly increased its supply of near-weapons-grade uranium in just three months, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Monday, highlighting Iran's unique position as the only non-nuclear weapon state enriching to such levels.
"Iran’s stockpile of uranium enriched up to 60% U‑235 has increased to 275 kg, up from 182 kg in the past quarter," IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi in his statement to the agency’s Board of Governors on Monday.
"Iran is the only non-nuclear weapon State enriching to this level, causing me serious concern," Grossi added.
The IAEA has argued in the past that there is no credible civilian use for uranium enriched to 60%, which is a short step from weapons-grade 90% enriched fissile material.
US President Donald Trump has demanded Iran end all programs that can enable it to produce nuclear weapons as a pre-condition for an agreement that would lift economic sanctions.
"It is also four years since the Agency was able to conduct complementary access in Iran," Grossi added in his statement.
He said Iran claims it has declared all of its nuclear material and activities, but "this statement is inconsistent with the Agency’s findings of uranium particles of anthropogenic origin at undeclared locations in Iran."
The IAEA still does not know "the current location(s) of the nuclear material and/or of contaminated equipment involved," said the head of the UN nuclear watchdog.
Grossi also pointed to an unexplained issue with Iran’s past uranium metal production. "There is also a discrepancy in the material balance of uranium involved in uranium metal production experiments conducted at Jaber Ibn Hayan Multipurpose Laboratory, for which Iran has not accounted," he said.
He said Iran is not following "modified Code 3.1, which is a legal obligation," and warned that the "outstanding safeguards issues remain unresolved." He added, "They stem from Iran’s obligations under its Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement and need to be resolved for the Agency to be in a position to provide assurance that Iran’s nuclear programme is exclusively peaceful."
Grossi said Iran had indicated it would consider accepting four additional IAEA inspectors but ultimately did not approve them. "I deeply regret that Iran did not accept their designation," he said.
"There has been no significant progress towards implementing the Joint Statement of 4 March 2023," Grossi said, urging Iran to engage with the IAEA. He said he will submit a "comprehensive and updated assessment on the presence and use of undeclared nuclear material" as requested by the IAEA Board in November 2024.
Grossi said his talks with Iranian officials, including President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, showed that "there may be room for constructive compromises." He added, "I hope to see them again soon and pursue effective dialogue and tangible results."
At a press conference in Vienna on Monday after the IAEA Board of Governors meeting Grossi stressed the need for Iran to provide answers. "What we need is real answers (from Iran). What we need is an engagement that is moving forward. We need to stop talking about process and start getting some answers as soon as possible," he said when asked what the agency expects from Iran.
Addressing broader diplomatic efforts, Grossi said, "An important statement by President Trump was when he said that he wants to have some form of a deal, some form of an agreement (with Iran)," Grossi said. "We need to engage as soon as possible, because time is passing."
The sharp rise in the price of a staple food, now a lifeline for an increasingly impoverished population, has become a major public concern in recent weeks, a trend now confirmed by official data.
The average price of potatoes reached over 500,000 rials (about 54 US cents) per kilogram in February, up from approximately 150,000 rials a year earlier. Today, the average Iranian worker earns roughly $120-170 per month, while official estimates suggest that a minimum of $500 is needed for the basic survival of a family of three.
The surge positions potatoes as the food item with the highest price increase in the past 12 months, significantly exceeding the country's general inflation rate, which according to official figures hovers around 35%.
Attributing the sharp rise in potato prices to increased exports and smuggling, Agriculture Minister Gholamreza Nouri Ghezeljeh said on Sunday that exports have been halted. "More potatoes were exported this year compared to last year, and some were also smuggled," he said.
Due to fuel and other government subsidies, it is cheaper to produce food staples in Iran than in some neighboring countries. Also, as Iran's currency has lost 50% of its value since September, exporting any homegrown product for foreign currency has become more rewarding.
Paradoxically, Deputy Agricultural Minister Akbar Fat'hi announced in January that Iran was importing 50,000 tons of potatoes to combat soaring prices.
The imported potatoes, aimed at stabilizing the market, were to be sold at approximately 30 US cents per kilogram, significantly below current prices. He warned further imports may be necessary if the market remains volatile.
Eggplant also saw a substantial price increase of 123%, ranking second among food items with the highest annual inflation.
The Statistical Center's report revealed that a broad range of essential goods, including legumes, rice, and dairy products, have experienced significant price hikes in recent weeks. Pinto beans, for instance, saw a 30% increase in just one month, while Iranian rice rose by an average of 13.5%.
While many food categories experienced significant inflation, chicken and beef prices remained relatively stable, with increases of 4% and 8%, respectively. This stability is likely due to decreased demand as rising costs force many Iranians to reduce meat consumption.
Directors Behtash Sanaeeha and Maryam Moghaddam, actors Esmail Mehrabi and Lily Farhadpour, producer Gholamreza Mousavi, and one of the film’s cinematographers faced charges of propaganda against the state, promoting immoral content, and screening the film without a permit, according to US-based rights group, Human Rights Activist News Agency (HRANA).
A day after the hearing, Farhadpour wrote a post on her Telegram channel recounting details of the session.
Describing the trial as an inquisition rather than a judicial process, she wrote that the courtroom featured a “Prosecutor’s Desk” where no one sat. “The judge is both the judge and the prosecutor—but mostly the prosecutor,” she added. “You do not feel like you are being judged; you feel like you are only being prosecuted.”
She later deleted the post, writing, “They told me to delete the previous post. I said: ‘Of course.’” She did not specify who instructed her, but Iranian authorities have increasingly restricted artists' social media activities and pressured them to self-censor.
My Favorite Cake tells the story of an elderly woman living alone in Tehran, navigating the loneliness of old age while seeking new experiences. The film explores themes of personal freedom, love, and human connection.
Authorities have taken issue with the film’s portrayal of life outside state-imposed social restrictions, particularly its depiction of women without mandatory hijabs and scenes that hint at relationships outside conservative norms of unmarried couples.
The film also features scenes where the characters consume alcohol—an act that, while common in private homes, is illegal under Iran’s strict laws. In Iran, the production, sale, and consumption of alcohol have been prohibited since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Despite the ban, alcohol consumption persists through underground networks, with many Iranians producing homemade wine and spirits in private settings.
The film was awarded the FIPRESCI Jury Prize at Berlinale and the Silver Hugo at the Chicago Film Festival.
Moghadam and Sanaeeha, known for their previous festival appearances, were unable to attend their film’s premiere last year due to a travel ban imposed on them by Iranian authorities.
The film crew's trial comes amid an intensified crackdown on independent filmmakers and artists in Iran, particularly those who challenge state-imposed restrictions.