IAEA: Tehran Not Fulfilling Nuclear Commitments

International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) Director-General Rafael Grossi in Vienna on Wednesday. (Reuters)

The head of the UN nuclear watchdog said on Thursday that Iran is not fulfilling many aspects of its nuclear commitments.
The International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) Director-General Rafael Grossi told Iran International that "Iran has ceased to implement lots of aspects and nuclear-related obligations under the JCPOA (the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action).”
“We once again call on Iran to halt all production of uranium enriched to 60 percent. No other non-nuclear weapons states party to the NPT enriches to 60 percent because there is no reasonable peaceful application for such material,” US Ambassador Laura Holgate said.
“As reported by the Director General, establishing a new verification baseline for these activities would pose major challenges. We urge Iran to cooperate fully with the Agency in providing all relevant data and look forward to further reporting from the Director General on these issues.”
The three European countries - members of the JCPOA - stressed that Iran should abstain from intensifying its nuclear program.
Presenting his latest report, Grossi said: “You will note that Iran’s stockpiles of uranium enriched up to 5%, enriched up to 20%, and enriched up to 60% – high enriched uranium – have all increased since we met in September with the increase of the 60% continuing at the same rate as I reported at the time of the last Board."
Iran has enough uranium enriched to up to 60% purity, close to weapons-grade, for three atom bombs by the IAEA's definition and is still stonewalling the agency on key issues, confidential IAEA reports showed on Wednesday.
Iran's stock of uranium enriched to up to 60% grew to 128.3 kg since the last report on Sept. 4, one of the two reports to member states seen by Reuters said. That is more than three times the roughly 42 kg that by the IAEA's definition is theoretically enough, if enriched further, for a nuclear bomb.
"The (IAEA) Director General (Grossi) continues to strongly condemn Iran's sudden withdrawal of the designations of several experienced Agency inspectors," it added.
On Sep.17, Iran revoked the license of eight inspectors of the IAEA in Iran with French and German nationalities.
Mohammad Eslami, the head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, said that this decision was taken because the inspectors were politicizing the matter.