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UN nuclear watchdog hasn’t had access to Iranian nuclear data since February

Iran said it wouldn’t renew its inspection agreement with IAEA

fordo-nuclear-facility-iran-maxar-ap This Nov. 4, 2020, file satellite photo by Maxar Technologies shows Iran's Fordo nuclear site. Iran has told international nuclear inspectors it plans to enrich uranium up to 20% at its underground Fordo nuclear facility, a technical step away from weapons-grade levels, as it increases pressure on the West over its tattered atomic deal. (Maxar Technologies via AP, File)

The UN nuclear watchdog or IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) said on Monday that it hasn’t had access to important data to monitor Iran’s nuclear program since February.

The Islamic Republic started restricting international inspections of its facilities. The report by IAEA chief Rafael Grossi said that Iran hasn’t been able to explain traces of processed uranium found at several undeclared sites.

IAEA chief Grossi has been warning about Tehran's non-compliance with the 2015 deal for weeks. Former US president Donald Trump pulled out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or JCPOA in 2018. This resulted in a fallout between Tehran and Washington. Indirect talks between Iran and the US, via nations, who other signees of the deal had been underway since April. 

The IAEA report said that Iran has produced more than 2.4 kilograms of nearly weapons-grade uranium, Reuters reported.

On Monday, Iran said it wouldn’t renew its inspection agreement with IAEA. 

 “After many months, Iran has not provided the necessary explanation for the presence of the nuclear material particles at any of the three locations where the Agency has conducted complementary accesses,” the report by Grossi read. The report also said Iran’s stockpile was 3,241 kilograms, but the amount could not be verified. The JCPOA permits Iran only to keep a total stockpile of 202.8 kilograms of enriched uranium.

It would now be up to Britain, France and Germany to decide whether to go ahead with the plan of continuing negotiations to re-induct the US into the deal, in light of the new revelation. The IAEA report could cause renewed strain on diplomatic relations between Iran and Western nations. 

Grossi's report said, “the technical discussions between the Agency (IAEA) and Iran have not yielded the expected results”.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Saeed Khatibzadeh on Monday said that while some important issues still need to be resolved, significant progress has been made in talks to revive the 2015 deal. Iran started limiting inspections to put pressure on the Biden administration to lift the trade sanctions the Trump administration imposed in 2018. 

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