IAEA calls for special meeting on Iran on July 10

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has called for a special meeting on Iran's nuclear programme next week, days after Tehran breached one of the limits set in a 2015 deal with world powers.

The meeting of the IAEA's board of governors, which follows a US request, will be held on July 10, an IAEA representative informed TASS on Friday.

Earlier, US Ambassador to International Organisations in Vienna, Jackie Wolcott, had requested the board to hold a special session "to discuss the IAEA Director General's latest, concerning report on the Iranian regime's nuclear program."

"The United States strongly supports the IAEA and its verification efforts in Iran," the statement by the US mission informed.

"As Ambassador Wolcott has previously stated to the IAEA Board of Governors, the Director General's thorough and factual reporting on Iran's activities - and any changes in those activities - is essential for the Board to exercise its authority to accurately assess Iran's implementation of its safeguards obligations and nuclear commitments. The international community must hold Iran's regime accountable," the US mission stressed.

On Monday, the IAEA informed that Iran had surpassed the 300-kg low-enriched uranium limit mandated by the 2015 nuclear deal that was abandoned by Washington in May, last year, in a bid to impose sanctions to cripple the Iranian economy.

However, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani alleged that the decision to exceed the enrichment limit was in response to failure by other parties to the deal in keeping their promises and providing Iran relief from the US sanctions.