IAEA chief Grossi voices grave concerns over uranium enrichment in Iran

The rapid increase in the amount of uranium enriched in Iran to levels close to those suitable for producing nuclear weapons is cause for great concern. Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said this today in Vienna before the agency’s Board of Governors, according to DPA.

Iran is the only country without nuclear weapons that produces such material, Grossi then pointed out at a press conference. He urged Tehran today to finally answer questions about unexplained nuclear projects. “I urgently call on Iran to cooperate fully and consistently with the International Atomic Energy Agency,” Grossi added.

Germany, France, Britain and the United States want to call for Tehran’s full cooperation in a resolution at the IAEA Board of Governors this week. The board is the agency’s main governing body and sets rules for the peaceful use of nuclear energy. The resolution is to state that Iran is violating its obligations to the IAEA. If Tehran continues not to cooperate, the UN Security Council could become involved this summer, diplomatic sources told DPA.

Iranian representatives insist that their country has no intention of producing nuclear weapons and warn of the consequences of Western pressure. It is not yet clear whether the planned resolution could have a negative impact, for example, on nuclear talks between the United States and Iran, which have been under way since April.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said today that Iran would soon send the United States its counterproposal for a new nuclear deal via Oman. Reuters previously reported that Tehran was preparing a rejection of the US proposal made at the end of May. An Iranian diplomat said at the time that the United States had failed to bridge differences over uranium enrichment on Iranian soil, the export of enriched Iranian uranium and steps to lift US sanctions against Iran.

US President Donald Trump withdrew from the original international agreement with Iran in 2018, during his first term, and reinstated sanctions against the country. The White House chief is now seeking a new deal to ensure that Iran does not acquire nuclear weapons, a prospect that worries a number of Western countries.