Watchdog calls blocking of inspectors “extreme and unjustified” as stockpiles reach 22 times the nuclear deal limit.
According to confidential reports from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Iran still has several experienced nuclear inspectors and has enough uranium, enriched to a purity of up to 60 percent, close to weapons-grade, for three nuclear bombs.
The United Nations nuclear regulator on Wednesday called Iran’s decision, announced in September, to revoke the accreditation of several inspectors as “extreme and unjustified” and said it had a “direct and serious impact” on the agency’s work.
“Iran’s stance is not only unprecedented, but also clearly contradicts the necessary cooperation,” IAEA chief Rafael Grossi wrote in a report to the agency’s member states.
Iran revoked the accreditation of several inspectors in September, a move Tehran described as retaliation for “political abuses” by the US, France, Germany and Britain.
According to a diplomatic source, the move targets eight senior inspectors, including French and German nationals.
In the report, the IAEA said it received a letter from Iran on Wednesday reiterating its position “that it is within its rights” to withdraw accreditation but is “exploring options to comply with the agency’s request for reinstatement.” “.
Member States can generally veto inspectors tasked with inspecting their nuclear facilities under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
Grossi expressed “his hope that this matter will be resolved promptly.”
In a separate confidential report, the IAEA said Iran’s estimated stockpiles of enriched uranium were more than 22 times the limit set in the 2015 deal between Tehran and world powers.
Iran’s total stockpile of enriched uranium was estimated at 4,486.8 kg (9,891.7 lb) as of October 28, an increase of 693.1 kg (1,528 lb) from August, the report said. The limit in the 2015 deal was set at 202.8 kg (447 lb).
The report comes amid longstanding tensions between Iran and the agency, which is tasked with overseeing a nuclear program that Western nations have long suspected is aimed at developing a nuclear weapon. Iran denies wanting to build nuclear weapons.
In 2015, major world powers agreed with Iran to curb Tehran’s nuclear program in return for the lifting of international sanctions.
That began to unravel in 2018, when then-US President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from the country and reimposed sanctions, and Iran stepped up its nuclear activities in retaliation.
Efforts brokered by the European Union to revive the agreement have so far proven unsuccessful.