France, Germany, and the United Kingdom issued a joint statement urging Iran to halt plans to develop uranium metal, for which "Iran has no credible civilian use" and which has "potentially grave military implications." Iran claims that it is developing uranium metal because it is an "intermediate product" necessary for the manufacture of silicide-based fuel, "an improved type of fuel." Iran further claims that it informed the International Atomic Energy (IAEA) of its plans to produce the material two years ago.