Iran has confirmed that it will allow the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to increase the number of inspections of its nuclear facilities, state media reported on Saturday. This move comes as Tehran looks to address global concerns over its nuclear program.
Mohammad Eslami, Iran’s nuclear chief, announced the decision, saying, “We have increased capacity—it is natural that the number of inspections should also increase.” He added, “When we carry out nuclear activities, and when we deal with nuclear materials, changing the scale will naturally change the monitoring level.”
The IAEA reported that Iran agreed to enhance monitoring at its Fordo enrichment plant, located south of Tehran. This development follows last week’s announcement that Iran had revamped Fordo to significantly boost the production of uranium enriched up to 60%, which is close to the 90% enrichment level needed for a nuclear weapon.
Despite international concerns, Iran maintains that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes and denies seeking atomic weapons capabilities. Eslami emphasized, “The IAEA has always had access to monitor within the framework of the safeguard agreement and the NPT, and we have not created any obstacles for it and we will not do so.” The Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) requires member states to declare and keep their nuclear materials under IAEA supervision.
Last month, Iran announced the launch of “new and advanced” centrifuges in response to an IAEA board resolution censuring Tehran for what it called a lack of cooperation with the agency. In response, Britain, France, and Germany condemned Iran’s steps to expand its nuclear program, strongly urging Tehran to reverse them.
The three European powers sent a letter to the UN Security Council, raising the possibility of restoring all UN sanctions against Iran to prevent it from further developing its nuclear activities. Nuclear tensions have escalated since the United States withdrew from a landmark 2015 deal with Tehran, which provided sanctions relief in exchange for limits on Iran’s nuclear program.
As global eyes focus on Iran’s nuclear ambitions, the increased cooperation with the IAEA could be a step toward easing international tensions and promoting dialogue.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
