US, Europe Condemn Iran for Continuing to Develop Nuclear Program 

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi addresses the media during their Board of Governors meeting in Vienna, Austria, September 9, 2024. (Reuters)
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi addresses the media during their Board of Governors meeting in Vienna, Austria, September 9, 2024. (Reuters)
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US, Europe Condemn Iran for Continuing to Develop Nuclear Program 

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi addresses the media during their Board of Governors meeting in Vienna, Austria, September 9, 2024. (Reuters)
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi addresses the media during their Board of Governors meeting in Vienna, Austria, September 9, 2024. (Reuters)

The United States, France, Germany and Britian condemned Iran for its lack of cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

In a statement on Wednesday, they noted the “continued expansion of Iran’s nuclear activities, in increasing violation” of its commitments to the nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

They said the IAEA “recalls once again that it is not able to ensure Iran’s nuclear program is exclusively peaceful, and highlights that Iran is the only state without nuclear weapons to undertake production and accumulation of high enriched uranium.”

Iran “has been blatantly violating all JCPOA limits on both enrichment and accumulation of enriched uranium. Its stockpile of high enriched uranium up to 60 % has continued to grow significantly, without any credible civilian justification.”

“Iran now has almost four IAEA significant quantities of high enriched uranium, which the IAEA defines as the approximate amount of nuclear material from which the possibility of manufacturing a nuclear explosive device cannot be excluded,” continued the statement.

Over the last three months, Iran has also substantially expanded its overall production capacity by installing and operating new advanced centrifuges, it added.

“Iran’s escalating nuclear activities significantly harm international security and undermine the global non-proliferation architecture,” it warned.

“We will continue consultations, alongside international partners, on how best to address collective doubts of the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program,” it vowed.

“We remain committed to a diplomatic solution and stand ready to use all diplomatic levers available to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons,” it stressed.



Moscow Disagrees with Türkiye’s Erdogan That Crimea Should Return to Kyiv’s Control 

Turkish Recep President Tayyip Erdogan speaks after a signing ceremony in Ankara, Türkiye, September 4, 2024. (Reuters)
Turkish Recep President Tayyip Erdogan speaks after a signing ceremony in Ankara, Türkiye, September 4, 2024. (Reuters)
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Moscow Disagrees with Türkiye’s Erdogan That Crimea Should Return to Kyiv’s Control 

Turkish Recep President Tayyip Erdogan speaks after a signing ceremony in Ankara, Türkiye, September 4, 2024. (Reuters)
Turkish Recep President Tayyip Erdogan speaks after a signing ceremony in Ankara, Türkiye, September 4, 2024. (Reuters)

Russia completely disagrees with comments from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that Crimea should return to Ukrainian control, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday.

Erdogan said this week that Turkish support for Ukraine's territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence was unwavering, and the return of Crimea was a requirement of international law.

Peskov said this was a point of disagreement where "our opinions fully diverge" with Türkiye, but Moscow would keep explaining its position to "our Turkish friends".

Russia seized control of Crimea from Ukraine and annexed it in 2014.