According to sources familiar with the situation, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that Iran has reduced the pace at which it is amassing enriched uranium, moving closer to weapons-grade levels, and has also diluted a portion of its existing stockpile.
This development follows shortly after the United States and Iran reached an agreement, within less than 24 hours, that is expected to result in the release of five wrongly detained Americans and the unfreezing of billions of dollars in Iranian funds. In addition, there will be a reciprocal release of Iranian prisoners from the US.
Despite assertions from the Biden administration that the prisoner exchange and efforts to revive the 2015 nuclear deal were separate endeavors, there appears to be a connection between the two initiatives.
The Biden administration's attempts to re-engage with the nuclear deal had faced obstacles last year due to last-minute changes in position by Tehran.
The Wall Street Journal noted that Iran has diluted a small portion of its 60 percent enriched uranium and has also moderated the speed at which it is accumulating new material.
While US officials have cautioned that Iran might embark on nuclear weapon development in a matter of weeks, no definitive decision to do so has been made.
Despite recent developments appearing to ease tensions between Washington and Tehran, the US military has deployed thousands of troops, battleships, and fighter jets to the Middle East following Iran's attempted seizure of commercial tankers in the region.
