Two nuclear experts warn in an article published in The Hill that Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant has accumulated spent fuel containing over two tonnes of plutonium, enough for more than 200 first-generation nuclear weapons. They call for continuous IAEA monitoring and removal of the spent fuel.
Two nuclear experts, Scott Kemp and Steven Reddiker, published an analysis in The Hill on Tuesday warning that Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant holds approximately 210 tonnes of spent nuclear fuel, containing over two tonnes of plutonium. This quantity, they assess, is sufficient for more than 200 first-generation nuclear weapons.
While much of the international focus has been on Iran's enriched uranium stockpile, the experts highlight the plutonium pathway as a separate breakout route. The plutonium is currently locked inside spent fuel rods, but they warn that Iran has demonstrated the small-scale ability to reprocess fuel and could construct a temporary reprocessing facility.
Kemp and Reddiker note that IAEA monitoring at Bushehr has been minimal, with only one three-day visit this year, which could allow Iran to divert limited quantities of spent fuel without detection. They call for any future agreement to mandate near-continuous monitoring of the site and removal of the spent fuel once it has cooled sufficiently for transport. The warning comes against a backdrop of ongoing international negotiations and past assessments, as The Zioneer has reported in recent months, concerning the status of Iran's 60% enriched uranium stockpile and the strategic implications of Bushehr's dual-use infrastructure.
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