World News for Students of English

08-01-2021 15:00

Iran seized a South Korean-flagged oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, and the country also announced that it would increase its nuclear activities. In the final days of Donald Trump’s US presidency, tensions in the region are building up.

Iran is revealing details of its plans to produce a stockpile of enriched uranium for its nuclear program; however, the uranium will be used for peaceful purposes. The country restarted production a few days ago in a pushback against the US sanctions. It is the latest breaking of Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.

Regional opponents led by Israel say that Iran wants to build nuclear weapons. Iran is enriching uranium to 20% and such a level of purification can be used for medical and energy purposes, as well as weapons. However, even if Iran gains a stockpile of 20% enriched uranium, it would still be a way from getting all the components that are required for a weapon.

Difficult words: stockpile (a supply that is stored for future use), enriched uranium (a type of uranium that has a higher concentration of isotopes than which exists in natural uranium ore), pushback (a negative reaction or response).

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