Iran on Monday hinted that it is ready to dilute the enriched uranium in its possession if the US is willing to withdraw all sanctions on the cash-strapped nation, according to Iranian Students’ News Agency (ISNA).
“In conclusion, in response to a question about the possibility of diluting 60 per cent enriched uranium...the head of the Atomic Energy Organization said that this depends on whether all sanctions would be lifted in return," ISNA said, referring Mohammad Eslami, the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran.
Eslami said Iran continues to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). However, he pointed out that the agency still has "an unfulfilled obligation" regarding the US strikes on its nuclear facilities.
"If we are under the Agency’s supervision and hold its certification of credibility, then it cannot remain silent about what happened," ISNA quoted Eslami as saying. He added that Iran's rights under IAEA regulations must be respected.
However, it should be noted that Iran has been refusing requests by the IAEA to inspect the sites bombed in the 12-day war with Israel in June. Even before the conflict, Iran has restricted IAEA inspections since the US unilaterally withdrew from Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers in 2018.
The latest development comes amid the indirect talks between the US and Iran in Oman. US Navy Adm Brad Cooper, head of the military's Central Command, joined the talks for the first time. This comes as the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and other American warships were spotted off the coast off Iran.
