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UN nuclear watchdog verifying info on Iran’s nuclear enrichment above agreed limit

08 July 2019 20:37 (UTC +04:00)

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is aware of Iran’s statement to start enriching uranium above the 3.67% limit set by the Iranian nuclear deal and is checking this information, the UN nuclear watchdog told TASS on Monday, APA reports.

"We are aware of Iran’s announcement related to its uranium enrichment level. IAEA inspectors in Iran will report to our headquarters as soon as they verify the announced development," the UN nuclear watchdog said.

Iranian Atomic Energy Organization Spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi told Iran’s ISNA news agency on Monday that the Islamic Republic had enriched uranium above the level of 4.5%

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi earlier stated that the Islamic Republic was switching to the second stage of reducing its commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) from July 7 and starting to enrich uranium beyond the level of 3.67% Tehran intends to reach the uranium enrichment level of 5% soon, which, as it says, is required for building power units at the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant. As the Iranian deputy foreign minister said, Iran will be scaling down its commitments under the JCPOA every 60 days, if the parties to the nuclear deal fail to fulfil the accords.

UN nuclear watchdog’s special session

The IAEA Board of Governors will convene a special session on July 10 to discuss the situation around the Iran nuclear dossier. The request for holding the session has been sent by the US permanent mission at international organizations in Vienna, which believes that the international community should bring the Iranian authorities to account after their steps to depart from the nuclear deal.

The IAEA earlier informed that Iran had exceeded the limit of 300 kg of low-enriched uranium allowed by the nuclear deal. IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano earlier reported this information to the agency’s Board of Governors.

As Russia’s Permanent Representative at International Organizations in Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov stated, Iran’s deviations from the JCPOA are not a breach while the IAEA Board of Governors is not the most appropriate place for discussing this issue.