Iran's energy sector review

Iran has officially confirmed that it turns stocks of 20 percent enriched uranium (UF6) into uranium oxide (UO2) partly to produce fuel. Iran turned a half of its 20-percent enriched 189-kilogram uranium stocks into powder last year. In May, the number of centrifuges at Iran's Fordo plant was 1,064, but in August doubled to 2,140. This means Iran's capacity for producing 20 percent refined uranium doubled. In any case, the new centrifuges installed at Fordo have not been active yet, but operating centrifuges produce 10 to 20 kg of 20 percent enriched uranium per month. Thus, 20-percent enriched uranium means that the density of the isotope U235 is 20 percent in UF6. If the density of these isotopes is over 90 percent, uranium can be used in nuclear weapons. In normal conditions, i.e. in raw uranium, the density of this isotope is 0.7 percent. Producing 5 to 6 kg of 90 percent enriched uranium from 250 kg of 20 percent refined uranium is possible, some volume that enou