Iran raises Middle East tensions

Iran has resumed enriching uranium to 20 percent purity and seized a South Korean-flagged oil tanker in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, moves likely to further escalate tensions with the United States 


Jan 4, Fordow
Iran begins process of enriching uranium up to 20 percent purity at underground nuclear facility

Jan 4, Bandar Abbas
Hankuk Chemi tanker and crew detained after Iranian forces seize ship in busy Strait of Hormuz oil transit route

TURKEY
IRAQ
KUWAIT
SAUDI ARABIA
Caspian Sea
Tehran
Natanz enrichment facility
Bushehr nuclear power plant
The Gulf
TURKMENISTAN
IRAN
Strait of Hormuz
AFGHANISTAN
PAKISTAN
200km 125 miles

 
EFFORT NEEDED TO ENRICH URANIUM: Uranium can be used for nuclear fuel and weapons by boosting concentration of uranium-235 (U-235) atoms*

83.5% effort: Needed to reach 4% U-235 – approx level used for fuel in commercial nuclear power plants

8.5% more effort 
Needed to reach 20% U-235 – used for fuel in nuclear research reactors

Only 8% more effort
Needed to reach 90% U-235 – level required to produce nuclear weapons


2015 nuclear deal with world powers limits Iran to 3.67% U-235
*Natural uranium contains 0.7% U-235


Sources: BBC, CNN, Reuters 
© GRAPHIC NEWS