TEHRAN— Iran's decision to produce centrifuge parts in a new complex in Isfahan instead of the Tesa complex in Karaj is done with the knowledge of the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and now the UN nuclear watchdog would be able to adjust its regulatory and monitoring standards accordingly, Iran’s acting ambassador to the IAEA said late on Monday.

“The IAEA report is a regular update which provides the latest technical information on Iran's nuclear activities to its members," Mohammad Reza Ghaebi explained.

He continued by saying that according to the report, Iran has informed the Agency that it intends to produce centrifuge parts in a new complex in Isfahan instead of the Tesa complex, which has not yet begun its work, and the IAEA will be able to meet regulatory standards. 

“However, information about this monitoring will remain with Iran and the IAEA will not have access to it until Iran resumes its nuclear obligations under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA),” he explained.

Iran has informed the IAEA it has stopped production at one of its nuclear facilities attacked last June and transferred work to another site, the watchdog said on Monday.

The move responded to a "security concern" following the attack, with the new site "better protected", a European diplomat told AFP.

The Tesa complex in Karaj near the capital Tehran hosted a workshop to build components for centrifuges, machines used to enrich uranium.

Iran said cameras at the site were damaged on June 23, 2021 during what it called an Israeli "sabotage" operation.

In the aftermath, the IAEA said it did not receive permission to gain access and replace the surveillance equipment damaged in the attack.

The two parties finally struck an agreement in December and new cameras were installed.

However, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said "Iran had informed the Agency on 19 January that it intended to produce centrifuge rotor tubes and bellows at a new location in Isfahan," according to the UN watchdog.

It said, "the Agency could adjust its surveillance and monitoring measures accordingly."

"A few days later, Agency inspectors applied seals on all the relevant machines in the Karaj workshop, placed them under containment and then removed the surveillance cameras installed there," it said.

"As a result, the production of centrifuge rotor tubes and bellows at the Karaj workshop had ceased," it added. 

Then on January 24 IAEA inspectors set up cameras at a site in Isfahan "to ensure the machines intended for the production of centrifuge rotor tubes and bellows were under monitoring," it said.

It added that the production of the centrifuge equipment at the new workshop had yet to begin.