The European Union is closely monitoring the situation surrounding Iran’s cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency and urges Tehran to work more closely with the IAEA and provide it with the necessary explanations, said Peter Stano, spokesman for the European Commission, commenting on the growing uranium reserves in Iran and its reluctance cooperate with the agency.
“We have taken note of this. We are concerned about the tendency to move away from the implementation of the multilateral agreement. The IAEA is a key partner. We urge Iran to work closely with the IAEA to provide clarifications on the conditions of access to facilities that this organization intends to visit and control”, – Stano said on briefing in Brussels.
Earlier, the IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said that Iran did not provide the information requested by the agency, and stressed that the country risks provoking a crisis if it does not cooperate with the organization. Iran, in turn, said the IAEA’s requirements are based on US and Israeli efforts to hinder Tehran’s cooperation with the agency.
Last Tuesday, Reuters, citing the IAEA report, the text of which was at the disposal of journalists, reported that the stockpiles of low-enriched uranium in Iran exceeded one ton. According to the document, as of February 19, the reserves of Iranian low-enriched uranium amounted to 1020 kilograms. Under the agreement, this limit was 202.8 kilograms.
Some issues of cooperation with Tehran were also reported. The IAEA stated that Iran did not provide the agency with access to two facilities, and also refrains from substantive discussions in order to answer the agency’s questions regarding possible undeclared nuclear material and related activities.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said that Iran is committed to obligations under the IAEA, there is no need to talk about any violations.