He United Nations nuclear watchdog this Saturday condemned the “disproportionate and unprecedented” measure adopted by Iran to withdraw the accreditation of several of its most experienced inspectors.
“Today, the Islamic Republic of Iran has informed me of its decision to withdraw the designation of several experienced Agency inspectors assigned to carry out verification activities in Iran under the NPT Safeguards Agreement,” he said. the director general of the IAEA, Rafael Grossi, it’s a statement.
“This follows a recent earlier withdrawal of the appointment of another experienced Agency inspector for Iran.”
“With today’s decision, Tehran has effectively withdrawn about a third of the core group of the Agency’s most experienced inspectors assigned to Iran.”Grossi added, stating that his affected colleagues had “unique expertise in enrichment technology” who had previously performed essential verification work at Iranian enrichment facilities under IAEA safeguards.
“This measure, although formally permitted by the NPT Safeguards Agreement, has been exercised by Iran in a manner that directly and seriously affects the IAEA’s ability to effectively carry out its inspections in Iran,” Grossi said.
“I strongly condemn this unprecedented and disproportionate unilateral measure that affects the normal planning and conduct of the Agency’s verification activities in Iran. and openly contradicts the cooperation that should exist between the Agency and Iran,” he asserted.
He added: “Without effective cooperation, trust will remain elusive and the Agency will not be in a position to effectively carry out its verification mandate in Iran or to provide credible assurances that nuclear material and activities in Iran are for peaceful purposes.”
Iran defended its veto
This Saturday, Iran defended its veto of several of the inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and He accused the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Germany of “politicizing” him.
“Despite Iran’s positive, constructive and continuous interactions with the IAEA, the three European countries and the United States abused the agency’s Board of Governors for their own political objectives,” said Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Naser. Kanani, and indicated that the objective of these four nations is to “damage the atmosphere of cooperation between Iran and the agency,” for which called for “neutrality”according to Iranian media.
Tehran thus responded to a joint statement issued on the 13th in Vienna, in which more than 60 countries demanded explanations about the origin and evolution of radioactive traces found in two facilities declared non-nuclear by the Iranian authorities.
Iran has been increasing its production of enriched uranium for months, and it has reached levels close to that necessary for the construction of atomic bombs.
nuclear deal
In 2015, major world powers reached an agreement with Iran under which Tehran would halt its nuclear program in exchange for relief from crippling economic sanctions.
But that began to unravel in 2018, when then-US President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from the deal and reimposed sanctions.
Tehran, in turn, intensified its nuclear program, although it continues to deny that it harbors the ambition of developing the capacity to manufacture nuclear weapons. So far, efforts to revive the agreement have been unsuccessful.
The United States and the so-called E3 group – France, Germany and the United Kingdom – are now threatening to ask for a new resolution against Tehran at a meeting of the IAEA board of directors.
“Iran persists in its deliberate refusal to seriously engage with the Agency”The United States and the E3 group said in a joint statement midweek, warning that if Iran does not fully meet its obligations, the Board will have to be prepared to take further steps to support its Secretariat and hold its members accountable. Iran.
With information from AFP and EFE
Source-www.infobae.com