According to the English section of webangah News Agency, citing Mehr News Agency, Bloomberg reported that informed diplomats say officials from the International Atomic energy Agency (IAEA) will visit Washington next week for consultations with U.S. counterparts. The trip aims to address the agency’s “inability to provide answers about Tehran’s near-weapons-grade enriched uranium stockpiles.”
Bloomberg, quoting three diplomatic sources, explained that this visit was planned after IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi’s recent efforts failed to secure Iran’s agreement on resuming inspections following the 12-day conflict between Israel adn Iran in June.
The report states that frustrations have increased within the agency regarding prospects of inspectors returning to Iran after their expulsion during June’s conflict.
Bloomberg noted that iran insists “the chemical and radiological hazards at sites bombed during U.S. and Israeli attacks continue to make inspection missions unsafe.” According to diplomats, although Tehran informed Massimo Aparo, Deputy Head of Safeguards at the IAEA, on August 11 that inspections of sites not damaged in attacks might resume soon, access remains impossible at the main nuclear fuel facility.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said yesterday in an interview, referring to laws suspending cooperation with the IAEA: “We have not yet reached a point of fully cutting off cooperation with the agency; though, future cooperation certainly will not resemble past engagements.”
The Bloomberg report added that as June 13-the start date of Israel’s military actions against Iran-the location of 409 kilograms of highly enriched uranium has remained unknown. Additionally,Iran has notified inspectors it is prepared to move materials approaching weapons-grade levels to undisclosed locations.
This report on next week’s IAEA delegation traveling to Washington comes as France, Britain, and Germany-known as the “European Trio”-have given Tehran until August 31 (September 9 Gregorian) to resume nuclear talks with Washington and grant inspection access or face activation of a snapback mechanism against Iran.
Simultaneously occurring, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghayi emphasized regarding this snapback tool: “europe’s use of this mechanism as leverage against Iran is fundamentally illegal and illogical. The three European countries failed in fulfilling their JCPOA obligations.We believe they do not have legitimacy for employing this tool. it is an attempt by them to maintain an unconstructive role concerning Iran’s nuclear issue. We have continued our interactions with these countries; while there is potential for understanding-our stance remains clear-they must make clear whether they intend a constructive role or one serving Israeli regime interests.”
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