Iran fails to explain uranium traces found at several sites: IAEA

Iran has failed to explain traces of uranium found at several undeclared sites, a report by the UN nuclear watchdog showed on Monday, possibly setting up a fresh diplomatic clash between Tehran and the West that could derail wider nuclear talks.
 
Three months ago Britain, France and Germany scrapped a U.S.-backed plan for the International Atomic Energy Agency’s 35-nation Board of Governors to criticise Iran for failing to fully explain the origin of the particles; the three backed off as IAEA chief Rafael Grossi annou­nced fresh talks with Iran. “After many months, Iran has not provided the necessary explanation for the presence of the nuclear material particles at any of the three locations where the Agency has conducted complementary accesses (inspections),” a report by Grossi to member states seen by Reuters said.

 
It will now be up to the three European powers to decide whether to revive their push for a resolution criticising Iran, which could undermine wider negotiations to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal at talks currently underway in Vienna. Grossi had hoped to report progress before the board meets again next week.
 

“The Director General is concerned that the technical discussions betw­een the Agency and Iran have not yi­eld­ed the expected results,” the report said.
 
“The lack of progress in clarifying the Agency’s questions concerning the correctness and completeness of Iran’s safeguards declarations seriously affects the ability of the Agency to provide assurance of the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear programme,” it added.

 
In a separate quarterly report also sent to member states on Monday and seen by Reuters, the agency gave an indication of the damage done to Iran’s production of enriched uranium by an explosion and power cut at its Natanz site last month that Tehran has blamed on Israel. Iran’s quarterly incre­ase in its stock of enriched uranium was the lowest since August 2019 at just 273 kg, bringing the total to 3,241 kg, according to an IAEA estimate. It was not able to fully verify the stock because Iran has downgraded cooperation. That total is many times the 202.8 kg limit set by the nuclear deal, but still well below the more than six tonnes Iran possessed before the deal.

 
Iran now hopes to see nuclear deal ‘fully revived’ by August
 
Iran said it hopes it can revive the nuclear deal with world powers by August, when President Hassan Rouhani’s administration ends, and reach an agreement with the US that would ease sanctions on its economy and oil exports. Ali Rabiei, spokesman for Iran’s government, said there were “no obstacles” in the way of negotiators in Vienna who are in their eighth week of talks to restore the beleaguered 2015 accord.               Bloomberg