By staff and agency

UN atomic watchdog: Iran still providing nuclear site access

March 9, 2020 - 18:35

Rafael Grossi, the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said on Monday that Iran continues to provide international inspectors access to its nuclear facilities, even after its announcement it was no longer bound by “any restrictions” of the landmark 2015 deal with world powers, known as the JCPOA.

“The agency has not observed any changes to Iran’s implementation of its nuclear-related commitments under the JCPOA in connection with this announcement, or in the level of cooperation by Iran in relation to agency verification and monitoring activities under the JCPOA,” AP quoted Grossi as telling board members in Vienna.

In his speech to the board members, Grossi called on "Iran to cooperate immediately and fully with the agency, including by providing prompt access to the locations specified by the agency."

"The agency has identified a number of questions related to possible undeclared nuclear material and nuclear-related activities at three locations that have not been declared by Iran," Grossi said, according to his prepared remarks. “The agency sought access to two of the locations. Iran has not provided access to these locations and has not engaged in substantive discussions to clarify the agency's questions.”

Behrouz Kamalvandi, the spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, said on Wednesday that Iran has “strong reasons” not to respond to “unprincipled questions and demands” by the IAEA.

Kamalvandi also said no country in the world has had cooperation with the IAEA as much as Iran, adding Iran has provided “the most detailed” reports to the agency.

The remarks by Kamalvandi came one day after the IAEA issued two reports about Iran’s nuclear program. In one of its reports, the agency said it had sent questions to Iran in three separate letters but received no answers.

Kamalvandi said, “Questions and accesses demanded by the International Atomic Energy Agency must have legal basis.”

Kamalvandi and Iran’s ambassador to the Vienna-based international organizations Kazem Gharibabadi have said the IAEA is using bogus intelligence by the Israeli spy services as the basis for its reports.

NA/PA